OBSERVATIONS  OF 
ABAHAITRAVELLER 

BY-CHARLES-MASON-fJEMEY 


2.,/if .  // 


*^  PRINCETON,  N.J.  ^ 


Presented   by~B(:?\n<:7\\  c§/\br(7\m  Gorn YTi \ Vrse^ , 


Section  ■ 


..?x30-|4 


OBSERVATIONS 


OF   A 


BAHAI  TRAVELLER 


1908 


BY 

CHARLES   MASON    REMEY 


^ 


SECOND    EDITION 

PUBLISHED 

November, 

1914 


Copyright  191S 
By  CHARLES  MASON  REMEY 


-PRESS  OF 

J.  D.  MiLANS  &  Sons 

WASHINGTON,    D.     C. 


ABDUL— BAHA 


PREFACE. 

Acting  upon  the  suggestion  of  Abdul-Baha,  I 
wrote  this  account  of  travels  made  among  some 
Bahais  of  the  Orient  during  the  summer  of  1908, 
the  first  edition  of  which  was  published  in  pam- 
phlet form  the  year  following  my  tour. 

Last  month  I  again  had  the  blessing  of  a  visit 
with  Abdul-Baha  who  was  then  upon  Mount 
Carmel  in  Syria.  While  with  him  I  sought  his 
counsel  regarding  the  advisability  of  this  second 
edition,  the  first  one  having  been  practically  ex- 
hausted. He  advised  republication — hence  this 
volume,  the  material  of  which  is  substantially 
the  same  as  that  of  the  former  edition,  save  that 
a  brief  historical  sketch  of  the  founders  of  the 
movement  has  been  added  for  the  benefit  of 
those  who  may  not  be  familiar  with  the  cause. 

Through  this  narrative  of  travel,  I  hope  to 
share  with  the  reader  some  of  that  faith  in  things 
divine,  and  that  spirit  of  brotherly  love  which 
one  receives  so  bounteously  through  contact 
with  Abdul-Baha  and  association  with  those 
who  have  been  touched  by  the  spirit  of  the  cause 
which  he  represents. 

C.  M.  R., 
26  November,  1914.  Washington,  D.  C. 


HISTORICAL   SKETCH    OF   THE 

FOUNDERS  OF  THE  BAHAI 

MOVEMENT. 

On  May  23,  1844,  there  appeared  in  Shiraz, 
Persia,  a  young  man,  Ali  Mohammed  by  name, 
who  declared  himself  to  be  The  Bab,*  the  fore- 
runner of  "Him  Whom  God  would  Manifest," 
a  great  teacher  who  was  soon  to  appear  with 
manifest  signs  of  divine  power  and  strength, 
through  whose  teachings  the  divine  unity  of 
mankind  would  be  established. 

The  Bab  was  immediately  met  by  great  oppo- 
sition on  the  part  of  the  Mussulman  clergy,  and 
at  their  instigation  was  placed  under  military 
surveillance.  In  spite  of  being  thus  hampered 
He  continued  teaching,  exhorting  the  people  to 
holiness  and  sanctity  of  living,  in  order  that  they 
might  be  fitted  to  meet  the  Promised  One, 
shortly  to  appear,  and  to  become  as  mirrors  re- 
flecting His  spiritual  perfection. 

Thus  the  first  two  years  of  The  Bab's  ministry 
passed,  at  the  end  of  which  time  He  was  seized, 
by  the  order  of  the  clerical  authorities,  and 
thrust  into  prison.    His  imprisonment  lasted  four 

*The  Arabic  word  for  door  or  gate. 


6  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

years,  during  which  time  He  taught  His  follow- 
ers through  letters  and  epistles.  This  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  trial  in  which  The  Bab  was  con-/ 
demned  to  death  upon  the  charge  of  heresy.  He, 
with  one  of  His  followers,  suffered  martyrdom 
in  the  cause  of  truth  in  the  city  of  Tabriz,  Per- 
sia, on  July  9,  1851. 

The  mission  of  The  Bab  being  that  of  precur- 
sor of  "Him  Whom  God  would  Manifest,"  the  in- 
stitutions and  ordinances  which  He  established 
were  for  the  time  being  only.  With  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Promised  One,  His  followers  (the 
Babis),  were  commanded  to  turn  their  faces  un- 
to Him,  when  He,  who  was  to  come,  would  es- 
tablish His  cause  which  would  bring  spiritual 
peace  and  harmony  upon  earth. 

The  Bab  was  not  alone  in  being  persecuted  by 
the  Mohammedans;  with  His  martyrdom  came 
upon  His  followers  troubles  of  the  most  dire  na- 
ture. Over  twenty  thousands  of  these  willingly 
gave  up  their  property,  families,  and  lives,  rather 
than  deny  and  recant  their  faith.  These  perse- 
cutions are  by  no  means  a  thing  of  the  past,  for 
in  Persia,  as  late  as  1901,  there  were  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-nine  martyrs  at  one  time  in  the 
cities  of  Yazd  and  Esphahan. 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  7 

During  the  days  of  The  Bab's  ministry,  while 
His  cause  was  being  promulgated  by  His  fol- 
lowers throughout  Persia,  there  were  many  be- 
lievers who  never  met  with  Him  in  person. 
Among  these  was  Baha'o'Uah,  a  young  man  of 
noble  family,  who  warmly  espoused  The  Bab*s 
cause,  publicly  upholding  and  teaching  it  in  Te- 
heran. 

In  1852,  the  year  following  The  Bab's  mar- 
tyrdom, when  the  persecution  of  the  Babis  was 
at  its  height,  Baha'o'Uah,  with  others  of  the  new 
faith,  was  imprisoned  in  Teheran,  and  later  on 
with  a  number  of  Babis  was  sent  in  exile  to 
Baghdad  in  Irak. 

During  the  exile  in  Baghdad,  Baha'o'Uah, 
through  His  teachings  and  spiritual  insight, 
gradually  brought  calmness  and  assurance  to 
the  followers.  As  the  movement  gained  strength 
the  local  clerical  authorities  began  to  fear  His 
influence.  This  led  to  an  arrangement  made  by 
which  Baha'o'Uah,  with  the  band  of  believers, 
was  ordered  to  a  more  distant  exile  in  Constanti- 
nople. In  April,  1862,  on  the  eve  of  His  de- 
parture from  Irak,  Baha'o'Uah  declared  Himself 
to  a  few  chosen  ones  amongst  the  followers  to 


8  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

be  The  One  Whose  coming  The  Bab  had  fore- 
told, "He  Whom  God  would  Manifest." 

From  Constantinople  the  exiles  were  sent  to 
Adrianople,  where  they  remained  until  1368, 
when  they  were  finally  sent  to  the  fortified  town 
of  Akka  (Acre),  a  penal  colony  on  the  Mediter- 
ranean just  north  of  Mt.  Carmel  in  Syria. 

Here  in  the  land  of  Carmel,  where  "the  com- 
ing," in  this  latter  day  has  been  foretold, 
Baha'o'llah  lived  and  taught;  many  traveled 
from  great  distances  to  receive  instructions  from 
Him,  while  others  received  teaching  through 
His  writings. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  with  the  coming  of 
Baha'o'Uah,  the  mission  and  teachings  of  The 
Bab  were  fulfilled  and  completed,  so  from  that 
time  on  the  movement  became  known  as  the 
Bahai  Movement,  and  the  beUevers  became 
known  as  Bahais.  In  the  Spring  of  1892,  the 
mission  of  Baha'o'Uah  being  finished,  He  passed 
quietly  from  this  world.  During  His  ministry'' 
His  cause  was  not  explained  nor  established  in 
the  world  in  general.  To  this  end  Baha'o'ilah, 
in  His  testament,  as  well  as  in  various  parts  of 
His  teachings,  commanded  His  followers  upon 
His  departure  to  turn  their  faces  toward  His  eld- 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  9 

est  son,  Abdul-Baha,  whom  He  had  chosen 
as  their  spiritual  guide — "The  Center  of  His 
Covenant"  to  the  people  of  the  world,  the  ex- 
pounder of  His  teachings,  the  one  who  would 
establish  His  cause  in  the  world,  the  one  upon 
whose  shoulders  His  mantle  would  fall. 

Abdul-Baha  was  born  in  Teheran,  in  Per- 
sia, on  the  23d  day  of  May,  1844,  the  day  upon 
which  The  Bab  began  His  teaching.  During  all 
the  trials  and  vicissitudes  of  the  mission  of 
Baha'o'llah,  His  son,  Abdul-Baha,  was  at  His 
right  hand  promulgating  His  cause  and  serv- 
ing His  followers.  He  was  the  first  of  all  to 
recognize  Baha'o'llah  as  The  Promised  One ;  ac- 
cordingly from  childhood  Abdul-Baha  was  des- 
tined to  become  the  center  of  the  movement. 

ABDUL-BAHA  makes  but  one  claim  for  him- 
self as  to  his  spiritual  station,  that  of  SERVICE 
in  the  path  of  God.  He  signs  himself,  "Abdul- 
Baha  Abbas,"  which  being  translated  is  "Abbas, 
the  Servant  of  God."  Abdul-Baha  is  acknowl- 
edged by  all  of  the  Bahais  as  their  spiritual 
leader,  and  the  one  to  be  emulated  in  the  teach- 
ing of  this  great  faith  in  the  world.  He,  through 
his  example  and  service  to  humanity,  is  bring- 
ing the  spiritual  life   of  Baha'o'Uah  within   the 


10  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

reach  of  the  Bahais.  He  is  the  first  fruit  of  the 
cause  of  Baha'o'llah  in  the  world,  and  he  is  the 
center  from  which  the  light  of  interpretation  of 
the  Bahai  Cause  is  now  being  radiated  to  all  the 
people  of  the  world;  therefore,  he,  in  his  mis- 
sion, lives  and  exemplifies  his  title  of  "The  Cen- 
ter of  The  Covenant." 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLEE  11 

INTRODUCTION. 

Asia,  the  continent  from  which  the  Caucasian 
peoples  swept  westward  to  rule  the  world,  has  in 
like  manner  been  the  land  from  whence  has  come 
spiritual  sustenance  for  mankind— his  religion. 
In  her  mountains,  the  prophets  communed  with 
God  and  revealed  His  life-giving  Word;  and 
from  her  shores  their  followers  embarked  to 
carry  the  messages  of  truth  to  the  nations  of  the 

West. 

Civilization  is  the  outward  expression  of  the 
inner  or  spiritual  condition  of  a  people.     The 
civilization  of  the  West  is  in  reality  the  fruit  of 
the  religion,  which  it  has  received  from  the  East. 
The  Orient  is  the  mother,  who  has  sent  forth  a 
man  child,  which   is  the    Occident.     Now   that 
mother  has  grown  old.    She  has  been  plundered 
and  pillaged  by  her  offspring  of  the  West,  and  is 
helpless.    The  time  is  at  hand  for  the  Occident 
to  go  to  her  help,  and  in  the  spirit  of  love  serve 
her  and  lift  her  from  her  present  condition.    By 
so  doing  the  West  will   gain   abundantly— gain 
through    giving  as  well    as    receiving,  for    the 
Orient  has  much  to  give  to  the  West. 

As  with  woman,  the  strength  of  the  Orient 


12  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

manifests  itself  through  those  soul  characteris- 
tics that  are  subjective  rather  than  objective; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  as  with  man,  the 
strength  of  the  Occident  manifests  itself  through 
those  soul  characteristics  that  are  objective  rath- 
er than  subjective. 

The  man  who  seeks  the  masculine  virtues  in 
woman  is  quite  as  sure  to  be  disappointed  as  is 
the  Occidental  who  visits  the  Orient  with  the  ex- 
pectation of  there  finding  people  fashioned  after 
the  standard  of  the  West.  The  wise  man  seeks 
in  woman  those  feminine  virtues  wherein  she  is 
strong  and,  by  union  with  her,  finds  a  balance 
which  his  masculine  nature  needs.  In  this  man- 
ner is  it  not  necessary  that  the  Occident  and 
Orient  should  come  together?  Where  the  one 
is  strong,  the  other  is  weak;  and  where  the  one 
is  weak,  the  other  is  strong.  Through  this  unity 
the  highest  and  most  noble  in  each  is  forthcom- 
ing. 

Until  the  present  time  the  western  nations 
that  have  gone  into  the  Orient  have  gone  to  con- 
quer. They  have  succeeded  in  subjugating  the 
people,  but  they  have  not  won  them.  They  have 
always  remained  strangers  in  a  Strang  land. 
There  has  been  no  union  between  them  and  the 
Oriental  peoples    and,  consequently,  but  little 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  13 

lasting  good  has  come  to  either  from  their  meet- 
ing. 

Woman  may  be  subjugated  by  man,  but,  un- 
less she  is  won  by  love,  this  subjugation  narrows 
her  character  and  life  and  tends  to  develop  every- 
thing save  her  better  and  nobler  nature.  This  is 
the  condition  of  the  Orient  of  to-day.  While  her 
people  have  a  certain  respect  for  the  superior^ 
power  of  the  West,  nevertheless  a  great  chasm 
separates  the  two — an  abyss  which  can  be 
bridged  only  through  awakening  in  each  a  love 
for  the  other.  As  man's  love-union  with  woman 
marks  an  epoch  in  the  development  of  his  char- 
acter and  opens  before  him  a  field  of  hitherto 
unknown  possibilities,  so  the  uniting  of  the  Occi- 
dent with  the  Orient  will  be  productive  of  the 
greatest  good  to  the  world. 

Again  in  these  latter  days  another  spiritual 
message  is  coming  to  the  world  from  the  Orient 
through  the  Bahai  Movement,  the  rise  and  early 
growth  of  which  in  many  respects  resembles  that 
of  primitive  Christianity. 

The  object  of  this  movement  is  the  religious 
unity  of  all  peoples.  It  offers  to  the  world  a 
spiritual  teaching  which  builds  upon  the  teach- 
ings of  the  religions  of  the  past  and  present,  ful- 


14  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

filling  their  hopes  and  prophecies,  and  uniting  all 
peoples,  both  East  and  West,  in  the  spirit  ofl 
God's  Kingdom  upon  earth. 

This  cause  has  come  into  the  world  in  order 
to  establish  peace — the  oneness  of  all  humanity 
— through  implanting  in  the  hearts  of  men  the 
true  and  vital  spirit  of  the  religions  of  the  past. 
It  comes  to  perfect  and  to  fulfil — not  to  destroy. 
It  confirms  one's  faith  in  his  own  religion  and 
makes  him  firm  in  the  reality  thereof,  and  it 
leads  him  to  the  realization  that  all  men  are  his 
brothers  and  that  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is 
now  actually  with  us  here  upon  earth,  which  is 
the  one  great  truth  and  the  one  great  theme  of 
all  true  religion. 

All  religions  teach  the  coming  of  spiritual  one- 
ness and  harmony  on  earth,  and  in  the  hol)^ 
books  of  each  are  the  promises  of  the  coming  of 
a  great  teacher  or  Divine  Manifestation  Who  is 
to  appear  in  the  latter  days  and  establish  this 
divine  order  of  things  in  the  world.  In  this  way 
does  the  coming  of  the  Bahai  teachers  fulfil  the 
prophecies  of  the  past,  while  the  spirit  of  broth- 
erhood and  love  engendered  by  this  cause  is 
uniting  thousands  of  Christians,  Jews,  Moslems, 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  15 

Hindus,  Buddhists,  Zoroastrians   and  others   in 
the  spirit  of  the  oneness  of  humanity. 

This  movement  had  its  birth  in  the  East  and 
like  the  other  phases  of  the  one  truth,  which  was 
revealed  by  all  the  prophets,  it  has  worked  its 
way  westward  until  now  its  adherents  encircle 
the  earth.  Under  its  invigorating  spiritual  pow- 
er, its  followers  in  the  Orient  are  awakening  to 
and  seeking  the  advantages  of  western  civiliza- 
tion and  are  helping  conditions  there  by  minis- 
tering physically,  morally  and  spiritually  to  the 
people  about  them;  while  in  the  Occident,  the 
same  force  is  giving  people  calmness,  assurance, 
and  poise  of  soul,  which  the  strenuousness  of 
western  life  has  all  but  destroyed. 

Under  the  guidance  of  its  three  inspired  lead- 
ers. The  Bab,  who  was  the  forerunner  and  the 
First  Point  of  this  revelation,  Baha'o'llah,  who 
was  the  revealer  of  The  Word,  and  Abdul-Baha, 
who  is  the  expounder  of  The  Word,  the  Bahai 
Movement  is  breaking  down  the  barriers  be- 
tween the  various  religious  systems  and,  through 
its  vital  divine  power,  is  uniting  all  human  ele- 
ments in  one  great  universal  brotherhood  that  is 
destined  to  grow  and  expand  until  it  fills  the 
world.    This  is  that  which  was  foretold  by  the 


16  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

prophets  and  seers  of  the  past.  It  is  the  estab- 
lishment of  God's  Kingdom  among  men,  and  it 
is  the  nucleus  from  which  will  evolve  the  great 
universal  or  world  civilization  which  will  be- 
come realized  as  peoples  of  all  the  nations,  races 
and  religions  become  spiritually  and  materially 
united* 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER 


17 


919I9191019X9IPK9 


18  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

NARRATIVE. 

For  some  time  prior  to  leaving  America  for 
the  East,  in  April,  1908,  I  had  been  in  corre- 
spondence with  an  American  friend  and  co- 
worker in  the  Bahai  Cause,  in  the  hope  that  we 
would  be  able  to  arrange  to  make  together  a  trip 
into  Turkestan  and  Persia.  It  was  not,  however, 
until  our  meeting  in  London  early  in  the  follow- 
ing month  that  our  plan  of  travel  was  finally 
mapped  out  and  decided  upon. 

My  friend  had,  for  several  years,  been  engaged 
in  the  Bahai  work  in  London  and  was,  at  that 
moment,  unable  to  leave  England,  so  it  was  ar- 
ranged that  we  should  meet  in  Vienna  about 
three  weeks  later,  from  whence  we  planned  to 
travel  eastward.  His  route  to  Vienna  lay 
through  Brussels  and  Stuttgart,  while  mine  was 
via  Paris,  Stuttgart  and  Munich,  which  places 
are  all  Bahai  centers. 

I  must  not  omit  a  paragraph  regarding  the 
Bahai  work  now  being  carried  on  in  Stuttgart. 
Eight  months  previous  to  the  visit  of  which  I 
write  I  spent  a  few  days  there  where  then  was 
but  a  handful  of  Bahais.  This  time,  however,  I 
found  an  organized  assembly,  with  many  people 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  19 

busily  engaged  in  serving  the  cause  by  translat- 
ing and  publishing  Bahai  literature,  as  well  as  by 
organizing  meetings  for  teaching  and  study  and 
like  work.  One  very  enthusiastic  believer  was 
erecting  a  building  in  which  he  was  making  pro- 
vision for  an  assembly  room,  which,  when  com- 
pleted, would  be  a  home  and  a  center  for  the 
Bahais.  In  many  ways  I  saw  the  firmness  with 
which  these  friends  had  grasped  the  teachings 
and  were  working  out  its  principles.  During  the 
intervening  eight  months,  Miss  Alma  Knobloch 
of  Washington  had  been  teaching  in  Stuttgart, 
and  the  fruits  of  her  efforts  and  those  of  her^ 
friends  were  easily  seen  in  the  work  of  that  as- 
sembly. When  the  organs  of  the  body  are  all 
working  and  performing  each  its  own  function, 
then  the  body  is  vigorous  and  strong.  So  it  is 
with  an  assembly  of  friends  in  which  each  is  do- 
ing its  own  part.  As  individuals  they  do  not 
necessarily  attract  much  attention,  yet  the  power 
of  the  assembly  as  a  whole  is  strongly  felt. 


On  the  eve  of  our  planned  departure  from 
Vienna,  a  tablet  (letter)  was  received  from  Ab- 
dul-Baha,  which  opened  the  way  for  me  to  visit 


20  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

Akka  on  my  way  out  to  the  East.  Although  I 
had  hoped  to  be  able  to  make  this  visit,  yet,  on 
account  of  governmental  troubles  then  rife 
throughout  Turkish  domains,  I  had  no  anticipa- 
tion of  realizing  my  desire.  Despite  the  abrupt 
change  in  our  plans,  everything  arranged  itself 
quite  well.  My  going  to  Syria  gave  my  friend 
a  much  desired  opportunity  to  visit  a  brother 
Bahai  in  Constantinople.  Traveling  leisurely  by 
steamer  down  the  Danube  and  through  the 
Black  Sea  he  reached  Constantinople  and  com- 
pleted a  visit  there  of  three  weeks  by  the  time  I 
joined  him.  In  the  mean  time  my  route  took  me 
the  length  of  Italy,  through  Greece  and  down  in- 
to Egypt  before  I  reached  Syria. 


I  must  pause  a  moment  to  write  of  some 
friends  whom  I  met  in  Florence,  friends  who  are 
spiritual  seekers  and  who  received  me  with  open 
arms,  although  I  had  only  known  them  through 
correspondence.  Sig.  Arturo  Reghini,  one  of  the 
founders,  and  the  leading  spirit  of  the  Biblioteca 
Filosofica,  5  Piazzale  Donatello,  Florence,  had, 
during  the  year  past,  delivered  a  course  of  lec- 
tures upon  the  Bahai   Movement.    These   were 


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A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  21 

attended  by  thinking  people  who  are  awake  to 
the  present  day  spiritual  conditions  and  necessi- 
ties, and  to  many  of  these  the  Bahai  Movement 
appealed  strongly.  That  which  was  most  no- 
ticeable and  attractive  in  this  philosophical  cen- 
ter was  the  kindly  spirit  which  the  people  bore 
towards  all  religious  movements,  and  this  was 
truly  Bahai  in  character. 


After  brief  meetings  with  the  Bahais  in  Alex- 
andria and  Port  Said,  I  took  steamer  from  the 
latter  port  to  Haifa,  where  I  landed  after  a  voy- 
age of  twenty-four  hours.  Many  Bahai  pilgrims 
to  the  Holy  Land  have  described  Haifa  and 
Mount  Carmel,  yet  each  takes  away  with  him 
impressions  impossible  to  put  into  words.  This 
mountain,  in  which  lived  the  prophet  Elijah,  and 
from  Old  Testament  days  considered  the  Lord's 
own  ground,  has,  during  the  past  half  century, 
again  been  the  center  of  renewed  spiritual  activ- 
ities, the  glad  tidings  of  which  are  now  being 
heralded  the  world  around. 

The  foreshadowing  of  this  latter-day  move- 
ment we  see  in  the  expectant  veneration  with 
which  this  spot  is  held  by  Christians,  Jews,  and 


22  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

Moslems.  All  three  reverence  its  holy  places, 
for  in  the  sacred  writings  of  each  are  many 
prophecies  regarding  the  triumphal  coming  of 
the  Messiah,  and  of  the  transformation  of  this 
land  and  her  people  from  sterility  and  poverty 
to  fertility  and  power.  Here  are  several  relig- 
ious communities,  monasteries  and  convents,  as 
well  as  the  German  Temple  Colony  situated  on 
the  lower  slope  of  the  mountain.  This  latter 
was  founded  in  the  sixties  under  a  religious  en- 
thusiasm which  had  its  birth  in  Wurtemberg. 

Off  to  the  north  of  Mount  Carmel,  across  the 
Bay  of  Haifa,  is  the  town  of  Akka.  Built  on  a 
rock,  surrounded  on  three  sides  by  the  sea,  the 
fourth  by  a  moat  and  the  land,  she  appears  to 
float  on  the  water.  From  without,  her  white 
fortifications,  domes,  and  turrets,  beneath  a  bril- 
liant sun,  with  their  high  lights  and  black  shad- 
ows, are  strikingly  symbolic  of  the  spiritual  con- 
ditions of  light  and  darkness  which  have  existed 
within  those  prison  walls.  Here,  for  years,  un- 
der conditions  almost  too  dreadful  to  be  de- 
scribed, was  confined  the  world's  great  teacher, 
Baha'o'llah.  He,  with  about  seventy  followers, 
storm-tossed  exiles,  after  years  of  persecution 
for  His  faith,  was  finally  brought  in  captivity  to 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  23 

the  dungeon  of  Akka,  within  whose  darkened  re- 
cesses languished  many  a  political  prisoner,  thief 
and  murderer. 

It  is  amid  the  particles  of  matter,  torn  by  the 
forces  of  the  elements  from  the  mountain  side 
and  carried  down  into  the  valley,  that  seeds  find 
root,  grow  and  bring  forth  their  fruits.  In  like 
manner  do  we  see,  in  the  spiritual  history  of  the 
world,  that,  amid  the  ruin  brought  about  by  man, 
spirituality  has  had  its  growth  and  fruition- 
out  of  the  blackest  darkness  has  come  the  most 
brilliant  light.  This  is  strikingly  brought  to  one 
while  in  Akka.  That  Akka,  the  scene  of  the 
bloodiest  combats  of  the  Crusades  and,  in  more 
modern  times,  of  the  Napoleonic  war  in  Syria, 
many  times  leveled  to  the  ground  and  finally 
a  penal  colony  under  the  late  despotic  govern- 
ment of  Turkey — that  this  should  be  the  place 
from  which  should  go  forth  to  the  world  the 
great  spiritual  message  of  peace,  uniting  men 
of  all  nations  and  races  in  brotherly  love— is,  in- 
deed, in  accordance  with  the  marvelous  work- 
ings of  God  as  we  view  them  in  the  past  and 
present. 

During  the    winter    previous  to  the  visit  of 
which  I  v/rite,  it  was  generally  known  amongst 


24  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

the  Bahais  that  Abdul-Baha  and  the  friends  in 
Akka  were  in  trouble,  while  but  few,  if  any,  of 
us  in  the  West  realized  how  serious  was  the  con- 
dition there.  The  cause  of  this  was  the  general 
corruption  of  the  old  regime  of  Turkish  govern- 
ment, that  reached  its  climax  just  before  the 
declaration  of  a  constitutional  form  of  govern- 
ment in  Constantinople,  which  took  place  but  a 
few  weeks  after  my  visit  of  which  I  now  write. 
The  Bahais  in  and  about  Akka  were  exiles  in  a 
foreign  land  and,  being  without  temporal  power 
or  protection,  were  considered  as  legitimate 
plunder  by  certain  officials  then  in  power.  Ab- 
dul-Baha told  me  that  he  had  received  threaten- 
ing messages  from  a  very  high  official,  tempor- 
ally over  him,  to  which  he  had  replied,  saying 
that  he  was  Abdul-Baha  (the  servant  of  God), 
that  were  that  official  to  exalt  him,  he  would  still 
be  Abdul-Baha,  were  he  to  oppress  him  he  would 
still  be  Abdul-Baha,  and  were  he  to  kill  him, 
yet  would  his  station  ever  be  the  same,  Abdul- 
Baha. 

During  the  five  days  I  waited  in  Haifa,  be- 
fore it  was  possible  to  proceed  to  Akka,  the 
troublous  condition  was  to  some  extent  amel- 
iorated  by   the   liberating  from  the   prison   of 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  25 

Akka  of  four  recent  converts  to  the  faith,  who 
had,  for  several  months,  been  confined  there  be- 
cause of  their  allegiance  to  the  cause.  About 
this  time  a  special  guard  placed  before  the  house 
of  Abdul-Baha  to  watch  its  inmates,  was  by  or- 
der of  the  governor  removed,  so  matters  began 
to  take  on  a  less  troubled  aspect. 

Notwithstanding  these  changes  for  the  better, 
I  had  to  be  very  careful  in  entering  and  leaving 
the  city.  Abdul-Baha's  house  being  watched  by 
spies,  I  did  not  go  there,  but  spent  the  two  days 
and  two  nights  of  my  visit  within  the  confines 
of  the  house  of  Aga  Seyed  Taghi  Afnan,  the 
venerable  Bahai  under  whose  direction  the  ar- 
rangements for  the  building  of  the  Mashrak-El- 
Azcar  in  Eshkhabad  were  made  and  executed. 
Here  Abdul-Baha  came  to  see  me  twice  each 
day.  Despite  the  agitated  conditions — for  his 
followers  had  been  almost  panic-stricken — Ab- 
dul-Baha was  calm  and  evidently  very  happy. 
The  strain  of  many  years  of  trouble  had  left  its 
imprint  upon  the  physical  man,  but  his  soul,  so 
emancipated,  was  brimming  over  with  the  love 
and  joy  of  the  Lord. 

I  could  not  help  comparing  this  visit  to  Abdul- 
Baha  with  the  first  visit  I,  together  with  several 


26  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

believers,  had  with  him,  late  in  the  winter  of 
1901,  at  which  time  he  was  comparatively  free 
from  worldly  troubles,  being  allowed  by  the 
governor  of  Akka  to  reside  temporarily  in  Haifa. 
Our  party  of  nine  American  and  European  pil- 
grims were  in  his  house.  Then  the  approach  of 
a  Bahai  was  an  easy  matter :  we  went  about  the 
town  mingling  freely  with  people,  and  meeting 
them  socially  as  one  would  have  done  in  any 
place.  But  as  I  recall  those  days  I  remember^ 
that  our  leader  often  looked  distressed.  Then 
the  cause  in  the  West  was  not  united  spirit- 
ually as  it  is  now.  While  many  were  attracted 
and  the  movement  was  growing,  yet  the  believ- 
ers were  in  danger.  They  were  as  young  trees 
enveloped  by  the  blast  of  the  winter's  gale.  This 
Abdul-Baha  knew  and  realized  while  we  did  not, 
and,  notwithstanding  his  own  ease,  it  weighed 
upon  him.  Now  all  was  reversed.  He  was  in 
trouble,  but  those  over  whom  he  had  so  dili- 
gently watched  and  prayed  had,  through  his  la- 
bor and  sacrifices,  grown  strong  in  spirit  and 
were  uniting  in  serving  humanity  as  he  by  his 
example  had  taught  them  to  do.  Now  the  unity 
and  the  steadfastness  of  the  Bahais  being  accom- 
plished, his  own  present  troubles  were  as  naught. 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  27 

Abdul-Baha  spoke  at  some  length  regarding 
the  uniting  of  the  people  of  the  West  with  those 
of  the  East — their  spiritual  unity — which  is 
bringing  about  the  regeneration  of  mankind. 
Now  we  have  in  the  world  of  man  all  the  ele- 
ments for  the  progress  of  the  people  save  the 
one  necessary  element — the  element  of  love  by 
which  all  must  be  brought  together  and  assimi- 
lated into  one.  The  heart  of  the  world  is  tired 
and  sick  because  it  needs  the  balm  of  the  love 
of  God.  This  is  what  Baha'o'Uah  brought  into 
the  world — the  power  of  uniting  all  in  one — and 
this  is  what  Abdul-Baha,  by  his  life  and  teaching, 
is  exemplifying  and  literally  infusing  into  souls. 

The  home  of  the  Afnan*  in  Akka,  where  I  was 
entertained,  was  a  house  in  which  Baha'o'Uah 
had  lived  for  some  years.  Like  many  Syrian 
houses,  the  lower  story  with  its  walls  several 
feet  in  thickness  and  high,  massive,  vaulted  ceil- 
ings, was  used  for  mercantile  purposes,  while  the 
upper  floor,  reached  from  the  street  by  a  heavily 
barred  door,  court  and  steep  stone  staircase,  was 
the  dwelling.  This  house  has  been  purchased  by 
an  American  Bahai  (a  lady  who  has  spent  much 
time  in  Akka),  that,  on  account  of  its   associa- 

*Afnan  is  the  name  applied  to  the  relatives  of  The  Bab. 


28  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

tions,  it  may  always  remain  in  Bahai  hands. 
One  room,  surrounded  by  loggias  overlooking 
the  sea,  was  that  which  had  been  occupied  by 
Baha'o'Uah,  while  a  smaller  one  next  to  it,  for- 
merly occupied  by  Abdul-Baha,  was  the  one  in 
which  I  was  lodged.  This  room,  measuring  per- 
haps twelve  by  sixteen  feet,  with  the  exception 
of  the  ceiling — the  woodwork  of  which  was 
beamed  and  panelled  and  painted  in  various  col- 
ors— was  devoid  of  ornamentation..  The  walls 
were  washed  with  lime  into  which  had  been  in- 
serted sufficient  blueing  to  take  away  the  dis- 
agreeable glare  of  a  large  white  wall  surface. 
Its  furnishings  consisted  of  a  straw  matting  on 
the  floor,  with  a  divan  along  one  side  of  the 
room  which  was  covered  with  a  rug ;  a  small  tea 
table  about  eighteen  inches  square,  standing 
about  one  foot  above  the  floor,  completed  the 
necessary  fitting  of  an  oriental  apartment.  In 
the  center  of  the  house  was  a  general  reception 
and  dining  room  containing  a  table  and  chairs. 
When  more  people  came  into  my  room  than 
could  be  accommodated  upon  the  divan,  chairs 
were  brought  and  then  taken  out  when  needed 
elsewhere.  Simplicity  characterizes  every  phase 
of  oriental  life,  and   if  one  enters  into  that  life 


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A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  29 

and  adapts  himself  to  the  customs  he  will  not 
find  himself  uncomfortable,  for  surely  many  of 
its  customs  are  more  adapted  to  the  conditions 
there  than  would  be  transplanted  westernisms. 
As  bedtime  approached,  I  began  mentally  to 
make  my  arrangements  for  the  night  expecting 
to  sleep  upon  the  divan.  However,  as  I  was 
about  to  put  this  plan  into  effect,  some  of  the 
friends  appeared  at  the  door  with  bundles  of 
bedding  which  they  proceeded  to  arrange  in  the 
following  manner:  A  pashe-band  (literally,  mos- 
quito box)  was  hung  in  the  center  of  the  cham- 
ber and  sustained  in  place  by  cords  to  the  four 
corners  of  the  room.  This  contrivance  is  about 
six  feet  long  by  five  in  width  and  height.  It  is 
made  of  loosely  woven  cloth  which  admits  the 
passage  of  air.  In  one  end  is  an  opening  encir- 
cled by  a  draw-string ;  through  this  aperture  the 
mattress  and  bedding  are  first  inserted,  then  the 
sleeper  crawls  in,  drawing  the  string  after  him. 
Inconvenient  as  this  may  seem,  it  is  most  com- 
fortable and  is  absolute  proof  against  vermin, 
including  some  of  the  larger  and  more  danger- 
ous species,  such  as  scorpions  and  spiders,  with 
which  those  eastern  countries  abound,  the  stings 
of  which  are  always  serious  and  sometimes  fatal. 


30  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

When  the  morning  and  the  hour  came  for  me 
to  leave  Akka,  I  was  quite  unconscious  of  it,  be- 
ing still  lost  in  the  realms  of  sleep.  The  pre- 
vious day  had  been  as  strenuous  a  one  as 
oriental  conditions  could  have  afforded;  from 
five  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  eleven  o'clock 
at  night,  almost  without  a  break,  I  was  convers- 
ing with  various  Believers,  who  had  come  to  see 
me,  so  that  when  bedtime  came  I  was  tired  out. 
Abdul-Baha  came  to  say  good-bye  to  me  about 
half-past  seven  in  the  morning  but,  finding  me 
still  sleeping,  would  not  allow  me  to  be  awak- 
ened, but  stood  guard  at  the  door,  walking  up 
and  down  the  narrow  corridor.  A  half  hour 
passed  thus,  when  he  was  called  out  on  the  log- 
gia which  gave  one  of  the  Persian  friends  the 
watched-for  opportunity  to  enter  the  room  and 
give  me  a  necessarily  vigorous  poking  through 
the  pashe-band,  which  aroused  me.  A  half  hour 
later  I  had  received  Abdul-Baha's  fatherly  em- 
brace and  parting  blessing  and,  together  with 
one  of  the  oriental  Bahais,  was  being  driven 
through  the  canyon-like  streets  of  Akka  on  the 
way  to  Haifa. 

Abdul-Baha  is  anxious  that  in  every  possible 
way  the  believers  in  the  East  and  West  should 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLEE  31 

unite;  that  communication  should  increase  and 
that  an  interchange  of  ideas  should  ensue  in  or- 
der that  all  may  profit  thereby  and  be  helped. 
Practically  the  only  instruction  which  he  gave 
me  regarding  my  trip  to  Persia  and  Turkestan 
was  that  I  should  mingle  freely  with  the  Bahais 
and  meet  them  on  their  own  ground  and  in  their 
own  manner  with  a  brother's  embrace. 

All  who  know  Abdul-Baha  love  him  devotedly, 
whether  or  not  they  be  acquainted  v/ith  the 
tenets  of  his  teaching  (on  account  of  the  op- 
pression of  the  Bahais  in  the  Holy  Land  and  in 
the  other  Turkish  countries  until  the  present 
time  practically  no  teaching  has  been  done  in 
those  lands).  One  instance  of  this  came  to  my 
immediate  notice  in  the  following  way.  Find- 
ing upon  my  return  to  Haifa  from  Akka  that  I 
had  two  days  to  wait  for  a  steamer  to  take  me 
on  my  journey,  a  young  Persian  Bahai  who  had 
been  my  constant  companion  and  interpreter 
while  in  those  parts,  set  out  with  me  on  an  ex- 
cursion to  Nazareth.  A  drive  of  several  hours 
across  the  plain  of  Kishon  brought  us  to  the 
mountains,  high  up  in  the  valley  of  which  is 
nestled  the  little  town  of  Nazareth,  the    older 


32  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

parts  of  which  have  probably  changed  but  little 
since  the  days  of  the  Saviour,  Jesus. 

During  the  drive,  my  companion  related  sev- 
eral incidents  of  Bahai  interest  in  connection 
with  the  places  we  were  passing.  He  spoke  in 
particular  of  one  Sheikh  Youseff,  a  man  of 
wealth  in  lands  and  cattle,  who  formerly  had 
lived  in  those  parts  and  who,  during  the  days 
when  Baha'o'llah  was  there  an  exile,  befriended 
and  served  Him  in  many  ways.  On  arriving  in 
Nazareth,  we  betook  ourselves  to  call  on  the 
governor  of  the  town,  who  was  a  son-in-law  of 
the  late  sheikh.  A  very  steep,  narrow  and  dirty 
street  flanked  by  high  walls,  brought  us  to  the 
door  of  the  governor's  house  which  from  with- 
out was  unattractive  enough.  Upon  entering, 
however,  we  found  ourselves  in  a  large  court 
through  which  we  were  conducted  to  the  prin- 
cipal reception  room  of  the  house,  spacious,  and 
beautifully  furnished,  the  windows  of  which 
looked  out  over  the  receding  terraced  roofs  of 
the  neighboring  houses,  down  the  valley  and  on 
to  the  plain  below.  We  were  most  graciously 
received  by  the  governor.  He  spoke  many 
times  of  his  deep  esteem  and  love  for  Abdul- 
Baha    and,   though   he   knew  but  little   about 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  33 

America  and  even  less  about  the  Bahai  teaching, 
yet  he  was  not  at  all  surprised  that  Abdul- 
Baha  should  have  so  many  friends  in  the  far 
West,  nor  that  these  friends  should  travel  over 
land  and  sea  to  spend  ofttimes  but  a  few  hours 
with  him.  A  servant  was  placed  at  our  disposal 
to  conduct  us  about  the  town  to  visit  the  many 
places  of  religious  interest.  Afterwards  we  vis- 
ited the  mausoleum  of  the  late  Sheikh  Youseif, 
a  beautiful  marble  structure,  beneath  the  dome 
of  which  rested  the  sarcophagus  of  white  marble 
overlaid  with  gold.  Later,  when  we  arrived  at 
our  hotel,  we  found  a  basket  of  fruit  from  the 
governor,  and  in  the  evening  he  came  to  return 
our  call,  and  again,  the  next  morning  before  our 
departure,  sent  one  of  his  men  in  case  we  might 
need  some  service.  These  kindnesses  to  us,  be- 
cause we  were  friends  of  Abdul-Baha,  spoke 
strongly  of  the  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  by 
those  outside  of  his  following. 


Embarking  from  Haifa  in  the  evening,  I  landed 
the  following  morning  shortly  after  sunrise  in 
Beirut,  the  chief  seaport  of  Syria,  where  I  found 
a  very  hearty  welcome  at  the  hands  of  friends. 


34  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

The  kindness  of  one  of  these  brothers  was  quite 
touching.  He  was  a  Jewish  Bahai,  originally 
from  Hamadan,  Persia,  where  there  is  a  very 
large  Israelitish  following.  He  told  me  that  six- 
teen years  before  he  had  wanted  to  go  to  Amer- 
ica to  teach  the  cause,  but  on  account  of  not 
knowing  the  language,  and  for  want  of  means, 
he  had  not  been  able  to  carry  out  his  desire; 
nevertheless  he  had  been  constant  in  his  prayers 
for  the  field  of  work  in  the  West.  Later  on  other 
teachers  went  to  America  and  accomplished  the 
work  he  had  longed  to  do.  How  much  work  he 
had  really  done  for  America  through  prayer  and 
earnest  desire  I  could  only  judge  from  the  love 
he  had  for  the  Bahais  in  the  far  West,  of  which 
I  was  the  undeserving  recipient.  The  signifi- 
cance of  such  a  meeting  is  not  understood  at  the 
time,  but,  after  parting  with  such  a  friend,  a 
touch  of  the  spirit  of  brotherhood  remains  with 
one  and  causes  one  to  realize  the  virtue  of  com- 
ing into  contact  with  virtue. 

Beirut  is  an  important  educational  center  and 
a  number  of  Bahai  young  men  are  there  as  stu- 
dents. That  night  a  meeting  was  held,  at- 
tended mostly  by  these  young  believers,  after 
which  several    of  us  supped  together    and  re- 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  35 

paired  to  the  home  of  a  Persian  Bahai,  formerly 
of  Baghdad,  where  the  night  was  spent.  The 
city  proper  is  built  on  a  promontory  projecting 
into  the  sea  behind  which  rise  abruptly  the  ver- 
dure-clad Lebanon  Mountains  whose  summits 
are  usually  lost  to  view  in  the  clouds.  Our 
friend's  house  stood  on  a  high  point  of  land  and 
from  its  terraced  roof  we  had  a  superb  view  of 
the  moonlit  sea,  the  glittering  shore  of  which 
stretched  off  to  the  south  past  the  ancient  towns 
of  Tyre  and  Sidon  and  on  toward  the  prison  city 
of  Akka,  while,  behind  us,  towered  Lebanon,  the 
twinkling  lights  of  its  many  villas  and  villages 
giving  a  unique  beauty  to  the  scene. 

Those  who  visit  the  Orient  are  always  im- 
pressed by  the  brilliancy  of  its  nights.  Even  the 
starlight  there  seems  as  brilliant  as  does  the 
moonlight  in  more  northern  climes.  To  use  an 
oriental  expression,  I  will  always  have  with  me 
the  "fragrance"  of  the  nights  spent  on  that  roof- 
top during  various  visits  to  Beirut.  Our  host 
is  now  an  old  man.  Since  the  days  of  The  First 
Point  (The  Bab)  he  has  been  an  ardent  and 
faithful  believer  and  has  spent  his  life  in  serving 
the  cause.  Now  his  three  sons  are  continuing 
his  work  and  it  is  they  who  receive  and  serve 


36  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

the  friends  from  the  East  and  West  as  they  pass 
through  Beirut. 

There  is  a  poetry  in  oriental  hospitality,  which 
seems  wanting  in  the  western.  Everything  is 
so  spontaneous  and  simple.  Conversation  with 
them  is  an  art.  Their  narratives  ramble  along, 
always  aiming,  though  indirectly,  at  a  fixed 
point  which  is  at  first  obscure,  but  which  in  the 
end  they  bring  out  with  the  accumulated  force 
of  many  pictures  and  much  action.  Often  the 
movement  is  not  sufficiently  accelerated  to  please 
our  western  craving  for  direct  results — to  see 
the  end  at  the  beginning — but  nevertheless 
through  it  all  runs  a  certain  poetic  strain,  which 
is  the  spirit  they  wish  to  impart.  This  leaves 
the  listener  with  a  peculiar  sense  of  being  an 
actual  part  of  that  which  is  being  related  and  he 
carries  away  with  him  a  soul  impression  as  well 
as  the  letter  of  the  narrative.  Imagine  being  on 
the  roof-top  of  the  house  of  our  friend,  the  mer- 
chant of  Baghdad,  seated  about  a  boiling  samo- 
var, sipping  tea  from  small  glass  cups,  while  one 
of  the  sons  relates  events  which  transpired  in 
the  early  days  of  the  cause — those  days  when 
even  to  be  suspected  of  being  a  believer  was 
sufficient  to  have   one's  possessions   confiscated 


AGA     SEYED     TAGHl     AFNAN     AND     TWO     OF     HIS     SONS. 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  37 

and  possibly  one's  life  forfeited.  Under  this  ter- 
rible tyranny  many  of  our  people  migrated  from 
their  homes  to  foreign  parts,  thus  spreading  the 
message  far  and  wide.  Such  was  the  case  of  this 
family  of  Baghdad,  who,  after  many  troubles 
brought  upon  them  by  enemies  of  the  faith,  are 
now  serving  in  a  foreign  land  under  more  pacific 
conditions  than  before.  It  was  in  this  house  in 
Beirut  that  the  friends  sought  refuge  when  sev- 
eral of  them  came  overland  from  Persia  in  the 
winter  with  their  precious  burden,  the  blessed 
remains  of  The  First  Point,  The  Bab. 

As  is  well  known,  after  the  martyrdom  of  The 
Bab  in  Tabriz  His  body  was  cast  out  into  the 
moat  which  surrounded  the  city.  Then  it  was 
that  there  arose  a  friend  who  went  and  recov- 
ered the  remains,  taking  them  to  a  place  of 
safety  and  swathing  them  in  tissues  of  silk.  Af- 
terwards they  were  secreted  in  one  place  for  a 
time  and  then  in  other  places  known  only  to  the 
faithful,  and  so  many  years  passed.  A  few  years 
ago,  arrangements  having  been  made  for  the  en- 
tombment of  The  Bab's  remains  on  Mount  Car- 
mel,  two  of  the  Bahais  set  out  for  Persia  and, 
returning  after  a  most  eventful  journey  by  camel 
across  the  desert  with  their  holy  burden,  which 


38  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

was  disguised  as  a  bale  of  merchandise,  reached 
the  sea  at  Beirut,  from  whence  the  rest  of  the 
journey  was  made  by  water. 


Though  the  steamer  which  I  took  from  Beirut 
to  Constantinople  was  not  booked  to  sail  until 
midday,  yet  in  accordance  with  the  oriental  cus- 
tom of  arriving  on  board  a  steamer  several  hours 
ahead  of  time,  I  embarked  in  the  early  morning, 
several  of  the  friends  going  in  the  bark  to  the 
steamer  with  me.  Each  of  these  arrived  at  the 
quay  with  a  parting  gift  in  his  hand — a  steamer 
chair,  fruit,  sweets,  etc.,  a  package  of  Persian 
insect  powder  (to  the  western  mind  a  curious 
gift,  but  an  article  which  adds  much  to  the  per- 
sonal comfort  of  the  traveler  in  those  parts), 
and  finally,  after  the  party  had  left  the  ship, 
some  one  (I  never  knew  who)  sent  me  by  a  boat- 
man a  large  jar  of  excellent  potable  water  which 
was  far  superior  to  that  afforded  by  the  ship. 
I  mention  these  details  to  show  the  extreme 
kindness  of  these  friends — kindness  to  one  whom 
many  of  them  had  not  seen  before  nor  probably 
would  ever  see  again.  This  is  indeed  the  spirit 
I  have  found  manifest  among  the  Bahais  everj'-- 
where. 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  39 

The  passage  from  Beirut  to  Constantinople 
was  uneventful,  Smyrna,  where  the  ship  stopped 
for  a  few  hours,  being  the  only  intermediate 
port.  The  Bahais  in  Syria  had  advised  me  not 
to  land  my  luggage  in  Constantinople,  but  to 
continue  passage  by  the  same  steamer  to  Odessa 
and  from  there  on  to  Baku  by  rail.  This  was  the 
route  often  taken  by  returning  Bahai  pilgrims, 
who  dislike  having  anything  more  to  do  with  the 
Turkish  officials  than  is  absolutely  necessary. 

Going  ashore  at  Constantinople  early  in  the 
morning  I  made  my  way  to  the  abode  of  the 
American  Bahai  where  my  friend  from  whom  I 
had  parted  in  Vienna  was  staying.  A  hearty 
welcome,  followed  by  a  hasty  meal,  preceded  our 
embarking,  for  our  ship  remained  in  port  only  a 
few  hours.  Until  quite  recently  the  oriental  and 
occidental  Bahais  in  Constantinople  have  been 
obliged  to  avoid  meeting  together  on  account  of 
making  trouble  with  the  government,  so  during 
his  visit  there  my  friend  had  not  been  able  to 
meet  any  of  the  eastern  friends. 

A  cold  and  stormy  passage  of  forty-eight  hours 
across  the  Black  Sea  brought  us  to  the  port  and 
city  of  Odessa.  Here  we  took  rail  for  Baku,  a 
long  ride,  but  one   not  devoid  of   interest.     At 


40  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

first  the  line  lay  over  rolling  fields  of  grain- 
country,  which  reminded  us  much  of  our  own 
western  prairies — then,  as  the  route  turned  off 
toward  the  south  and  we  neared  the  Caucasus, 
we  had  splendid  views  of  its  rugged  and  pictur- 
esque mountain  ranges  towering  in  the  distance 
one  above  the  other.  Again  changing  direction, 
the  line  bore  off  eastward  and  descended  into  the 
Caspian  basin,  where  the  railroad  turns  to  the 
south  following  down  the  western  coast  to  the 
sea,  with  an  expanse  of  water  stretching  off  to 
the  right,  the  Caucasian  Mountains  rising 
abruptly  on  the  left. 

In  Baku  we  had  little  difficulty  in  finding  some 
of  our  Bahai  friends.  Fortunately  for  us,  they 
were  well  known  and  easy  to  locate,  for  we  did 
not  speak  a  word  of  the  language  of  the  country. 
Here  and  in  some  other  places  in  Southern  Rus- 
sia, as  well  as  in  Russian  Turkestan,  the  Bahai 
movement  and  its  followers  are  recognized  and 
protected  by  the  government.  In  fact,  here  we 
found  that  to  be  known  as  Bahais  facilitated 
travel,  for  our  people  are  known  to  be  for  peace 
and  tranquility  and  are  in  no  way  associated 
with  the  many  revolutionary  movements  which 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  41 

keep  that  country  most  of  the  time  in  a  state  of 
turbulence. 

In  Baku  we  were  lodged  in  the  house  of  a 
Bahai,  Ashraff  Karimoff,  who  lived  only  a  few 
doors  from  the  building  now  temporarily  used 
as  the  Mashrak-el-Azcar.*  Quite  a  large  build- 
ing-lot in  the  heart  of  the  city  has  been  acquired 
for  the  building  of  a  Mashrak-el-Azcar.  A  build- 
ing now  standing  in  one  corner  of  this  property, 
besides  serving  as  a  place  of  meeting  for  the 
Bahais,  affords  lodging  when  traveling  Bahais 
and  their  friends  are  entertained.  Here  also  re- 
sides a  Bahai  teacher,  who,  with  several  other 
followers,  serves  the  cause,  thus  forming  an  es- 
tablishment which  is  the  center  of  Bahai  activi- 
ties in  that  city. 

During  our  stay  in  Baku,  we  were  entertained 
several  times  by  a  Bahai,  Aga  Mussa  Nagieff,  a 
man  who  has  extensive  oil  interests  in  that  sec- 
tion. On  the  day  following  our  arrival  we  went 
with  him  to  inspect  his  oil  wells  at  Bala  Khaneh, 
not  far  from  Baku.  After  spending  some  time 
among  the  wells  we  were  taken  to  a  house 
where    a   Bahai    meeting   had    been    arranged. 


*Mashrak-el-Azcar  means,   literally,    "The  place  of  the  mentions   of 
God." 


42  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

This  meeting  was  composed  chiefly  of  laboring 
men  from  the  adjacent  wells. 

In  the  West  many  people  are  impressed  by  the 
fact  that  the  Bahai  teaching  appeals  alike  to  peo- 
ple of  culture  as  well  as  to  those  who  have  not 
had  the  advantages  of  education  and  its  respon- 
sibilities. This  was  even  more  striking  in  this 
meeting  than  any  which  I  ever  attended  in  the 
West.  Several  western  travelers  have  written 
of  the  industries  of  Bala  Khaneh  and  have  de- 
scribed the  way  in  which  the  oil  is  brought  to 
the  surface  by  the  workmen,  whose  scanty  cloth- 
ing is  saturated  with  unrefined  petroleum.  From 
this  standpoint  their  condition  is  not  enviable 
and  needs  to  be  improved,  but  we  are  permitted 
to  see  another  aspect  of  their  life  which  might 
astonish  people  in  the  West  who  to-day  are 
striving  to  conciliate  capital  and  labor.  To  see 
the  capitalist  and  laborer  side  by  side  on  equal 
terms  in  spirit  in  such  a  meeting  as  we  had  shows 
the  work  of  the  Bahai  cause.  Though  in  out- 
ward affairs  there  was  a  distinction  between  em- 
ployer and  employee,  there  was  at  the  same  time 
beneath  that  a  fraternal  relation  which  made 
their  interests  as  one. 

On  another  occasion  we  had  an  interesting 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  43 

meeting  with  a  number  of  Circassian  peasants 
who  came  into  the  city  from  the  country  to 
greet  us.  The  Circassian  is  a  combination  of 
several  peoples,  which  gives  him,  along  with  the 
child-like  simplicity  and  gentleness  of  the  Orien- 
tal, a  certain  almost  savage  force  which  is  char- 
acteristic of  the  north.  It  is  ever  interesting  to 
witness  the  assimilation  of  these  elements  from 
the  north,  south,  east  and  west  by  the  Bahai 
faith,  for  wherever  it  is  planted  it  finds  root  and 
grows. 

From  Baku  our  course  of  travel  lay  eastward 
over  the  Caspian  into  Turkestan.  The  afternoon 
of  the  evening  that  we  left  Baku  a  largely  at- 
tended feast  was  spread  in  the  Mashrak-el-Az- 
car.  Tablets  were  chanted  and  my  companion 
made  an  address  in  Persian  which  was  trans- 
lated for  the  benefit  of  those  present  into  the 
language  of  the  country.  The  meeting  was 
brought  somewhat  abruptly  to  a  close  when  one 
of  the  friends  hurriedly  entered  to  inform  us 
that  we  had  no  time  to  lose  in  making  our 
steamer.  In  almost  less  time  than  it  takes  to  re- 
count it  the  crowd  had  poured  out  into  the  street, 
where  carriages  awaited  us,  and  amid  good- 
byes, we,  with  as  many  others  as    the    several 


44  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

vehicles  would    accommodate,  were    driven    off 
rapidly  toward  the  port. 

On  the  quay  and  aboard  the  steamer  we  were 
met  by  others,  the  party  growing  as  it  was  rein- 
forced by  groups  of  friends  from  the  meeting, 
who  arrived  at  intervals.  Little  did  we  think, 
as  we  stood  on  the  stem  of  the  moving  steam- 
er, waving  adieu  to  the  crowd  on  the  pier,  that 
there  would  be  any  annoying  results  from  this 
farewell  demonstration. 

Turkestan,  which  is  north  of  Persia,  west  of 
China,  south  of  Russia  and  Siberia,  and  east 
of  the  Caspian  Sea,  has  comparatively  recently 
been  opened  to  railroad  travel  by  the  Trans- 
Caspian  line.  The  western  extremity  of  this 
railroad  is  the  town  of  Krasnovodsk,  on  the 
eastern  coast  of  the  Caspian.  From  here  the 
line  goes  east  to  Eshkhabad,  Merve,  Samark- 
hand  and  Tashkhend;  then  northward  to  Oren- 
berg,  from  whence  a  line  joins  it  with  the 
Trans-Siberian  railroad. 

On  account  of  the  proximity  of  Turkestan 
to  India  the  Russians  guard  that  country  jeal- 
ously. It  is  only  by  special  permission  that 
any  foreigner  is  allowed  to  penetrate  beyond 
the  frontier.     Before  leaving  America  I  tried 


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A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  45 

to  inform  myself  of  these  matters  through  the 
Russian  embassy  in  Washington,  from  which 
I  was  able  to  obtain  no  information  at  all. 
While  in  Europe  I  applied  to  the  American 
ambassador  in  St.  Petersburg,  asking  him  to 
procure  for  my  friend  and  me  the  necessary 
permission  to  travel  as  tourists  in  Turkestan. 
In  reply  to  this  I  was  notified  by  letter  and  by 
wire  that  the  necessary  permission  had  been 
granted  and  that  while  no  document  was  sent 
us,  the  officials  along  the  Trans-Caspian  route 
had  been  advised  of  our  coming. 

On  the  steamer  from  Baku  we  met  two  Ba- 
hais  with  their  families,  who  were  traveling  our 
way,  so  we  consolidated  into  one  party.  On  ar- 
riving at  Krasnovodsk  the  following  morning  we 
landed  and,  finding  that  our  train  did  not  leave 
until  late  in  the  afternoon,  we  made  ourselves 
comfortable  under  the  shade  of  some  trees  in  a 
garden  adjoining  the  station.  Seated  here  we 
had  lunch  and,  later  on,  tea.  We  were  about  to 
collect  our  luggage  for  boarding  the  train  when 
we  were  approached  by  a  police  officer  accom- 
panied by  two  men  who  demanded  to  see  our 
papers.  This,  of  course,  was  no  more  than  trav- 
elers in  those  countries  expect  at  any  time,  so  we 


46  OBSEBVATIONS  OF 

were  troubled  only  when  told  that  there  was  no 
permission  for  us  to  travel  in  those  parts  and 
that  we  would  be  detained  there  until  such  had 
been  received. 

It  was  with  some  degree  of  consternation  that 
we  watched  the  train  pulling  out  with  our  Per- 
sian friends  aboard,  and  then  we  turned  to  sur- 
vey the  town  about  us.  It  was  about  as  barren  a 
place  as  the  imagination  could  have  conceived. 
Hemmed  in  by  the  sea  against  mountains  as  bar- 
ren as  only  the  salt  wastes  of  the  Caspian  basin 
can  be,  the  only  verdure  being  a  few  trees  and 
shrubs  which  had  to  be  watered  with  distilled 
sea  water^ — there  was  no  fresh  water  within 
miles — ^Krasnovodsk  was  indeed  uninviting  for 
an  indefinite  sojourn  such  as  ours  bade  fair  to  be. 

The  officer  who  had  jurisdiction  over  us  was 
politeness  itself.  Even  under  the  most  exasper- 
ating circumstances  he  was  all  smiles  and  would 
bow  most  gallantly  with  his  right  hand  placed 
over  his  heart.  We  were  lodged  in  a  hotel  where 
he  lived  and,  though  a  sharp  eye  was  kept  upon 
us,  we  were  at  liberty  to  wander  about  the  town 
as  we  chose. 

As  soon  as  possible  we  wired  to  our  ambassa- 
dor in  St.  Petersburg   and  also   to  the  military 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  47 

governor  of  Tashkhend,  under  whose  governor- 
ship is  the  government  of  Western  Turkestan, 
asking  them  to  take  steps  for  us  to  be  allowed  to 
continue  our  journey. 

On  the  third  day  of  our  stay,  when  we  were 
beginning  to  weary  of  the  monotony  of  waiting, 
the  door  of  our  room  opened  and  in  walked  three 
Bahais  from  Eshkhabad — Mirza  Taghi  Khan, 
Mirza  Housein  Oskoui  and  Mirza  Fazl'o'llah 
Khan.  Before  then  we  had  been  in  telegraphic 
communication  with  the  friends  in  Eshkhabad, 
and  knowing  of  our  plight  these  three  friends  had 
come  down  a  run  of  eighteen  hours  to  Krasno- 
vodsk  to  share  with  us  the  period  of  waiting. 
They  told  us  that  the  Bahais  in  Eshkhabad  had 
been  advised  of  our  expected  arrival  in  their  city 
by  dispatch  from  Baku,  and  about  fifty  of  them 
came  a  four-hours'  journey  down  the  line  to 
meet  us.  There  in  a  small  station  house  they 
spent  the  day  and  night  expecting  us  by  every 
train. 

The  remainder  of  our  time  in  Krasnovodsk 
passed  comparatively  quickly.  On  the  fifth  day 
in  the  afternoon  a  dispatch  came  from  the  mili- 
tary governor  of  the  province  granting  the 
waited-for  permission.    It  was  with  much  hilar- 


48  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

ity  that  we  hastily  gathered  our  belongings  to- 
gether and,  within  the  hour,  were  boarding  the 
train  for  Eshkhabad. 

Only  after  the  affair  was  over  did  we  ascer- 
tain the  real  cause  of  our  detention.  It  seems 
that  the  police  in  Baku  witnessed  our  departure 
from  that  city,  and  imagining  from  the  parting 
demonstration  that  we  might  be  political  agita- 
tors, telegraphed  to  Krasnovodsk  and,  though 
we  had  the  necessary  permission  to  travel  in 
Transcaspia,  it  was  cancelled  by  this  dispatch. 
Unpleasant  as  this  affair  seemed  at  the  time  it 
was  indeed  a  very  good  thing  in  the  end,  for  the 
people  of  Krasnovodsk  were  impressed  by  the 
fact  that  two  Bahais  were  there  from  America 
and  in  this  way  our  three  oriental  friends  who 
spoke  the  language  of  the  country  were  able  to 
do  quite  a  little  teaching. 

The  route  to  Eshkhabad  was  over  the  desert. 
For  the  most  part  of  the  way  we  were  in  sight  of 
the  Sagir  mountains  on  the  south,  which  here 
form  the  northern  boundary  of  Persia.  On  the 
following  morning,  drawing  nearer  to  this  range, 
we  began  to  distinguish,  by  the  streaks  of  ver- 
dure on  the  mountain  sides,  rivulets  coming 
down  to  be  absorbed  by  the  thirsty  sands  of  the 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  49 

plain.  Every  few  miles  could  be  seen  the  re- 
mains of  ruined  cities.  In  a  recent  tablet  re- 
vealed to  the  Bahais  of  the  East  and  of  the  West 
Abdul-Baha  mentions  this  country  in  the  follow- 
ing terms: 

"For  man  has  two  aspects — one  the  sublimity 
of  nature  and  intellectual  qualities,  and  the  other 
the  base  animality  and  imperfections  of  passion. 

"If  you  travel  through  the  continents  and 
countries  of  the  world  you  will  see  on  one  side 
the  signs  of  ruin  and  destruction,  and  on  the 
other  the  signs  and  monuments  of  civilization 
and  construction.  As  to  the  ruin  and  destruc- 
tion, they  are  the  signs  of  contention  and  dis- 
cord, of  war  and  battle.  But  order  and  construc- 
tion are  the  results  of  the  virtues  of  friendliness 
and  concord. 

"If  one  travel  in  the  central  desert  of  Asia  he 
will  observe  how  many  great  and  populous  cities 
have  been  ruined.  From  the  Caspian  Sea  to  the 
River  Oxus  naught  is  to  be  seen  save  forlorn  and 
deserted  prairies  and  deserts.  The  Russian  Rail- 
way [the  Trans-Caspian  R.  R.]  takes  two  days 
and  two  nights  to  traverse  the  ruined  cities  and 
destroyed  villages  of  that  desert.  There  was  a 
time  when  that  land  was  very  populous  and  in 


50  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

the  highest  state  of  civilization  and  development ; 
science  and  knowledge  were  widespread,  the 
arts  and  professions  established,  commerce  and 
agriculture  were  in  the  utmost  state  of  perfec- 
tion, and  civil  government  and  politics  well  or- 
ganized. Now,  all  this  great  region  is  the  habi- 
tation of  desolation  and  shelters  only  the  no- 
madic Turkoman  tribes  and  the  wandering 
beasts  of  prey.  The  cities  of  that  land,  as  Ghor- 
gan,  Tassa,  Abiavard,  and  Shahrastan,  were  once 
famous  in  the  world  for  sciences,  knowledge,  pro- 
fessions, wonders,  wealth,  greatness,  happiness 
and  virtue.  Now  no  voice  or  murmur  is  to  be 
heard  in  all  that  land  save  the  roar  of  ferocious 
brutes,  and  naught  is  to  be  seen  save  the  wan- 
dering wolves. 

"This  ruin  and  destruction  was  occasioned  by 
the  battles  and  wars  between  Iran  (Persia)  and 
Turkan,  which  had  become  different  in  customs 
and  religion.  Their  godless  leaders  made  public 
property  of  the  blood,  belongings,  and  the  pri- 
vacy of  each  other.  This  is  the  exposition  of  one 
instance. 

"Then,  when  ye  travel  through  the  world  and 
observe  it,  ye  shall  find  all  constructiveness  and 
progressiveness  to  be  signs  of  friendliness   and 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  51 

love,  and  all  destructiveness  and  ruin  the  results 
of  hatred  and  enmity." 

Before  leaving  Krasnovodsk  our  companions 
had  telegraphed  ahead  to  Eshkhabad  and  various 
intermediate  points  to  announce  our  coming, 
so  at  a  very  early  hour  the  next  morning  we  be- 
gan to  be  greeted  by  groups  of  Bahais  gathered 
at  the  stations  along  the  line.  The  people  aboard 
the  train  eyed  us  with  no  little  interest,  for  it 
was  uncommon  to  say  the  least  to  see  foreigners 
so  received.  At  two  hours  or  more  from  Eshk- 
habad we  were  met  by  a  delegation  of  believers 
from  that  city,  who  brought  to  us  the  greeting 
of  their  assembly. 

The  climax  was  reached  when  the  train  finally 
pulled  into  the  station  at  Eshkhabad,  where  three 
hundred  and  more  of  the  friends  awaited  us.  As 
we  stood  on  the  platform  of  the  car  looking  down 
into  a  sea  of  upturned  faces,  with  many  hands 
stretched  out  towards  us,  a  wave  of  sympathy 
came  over  me  which  was  difficult  to  stand  up 
against;  but  then  was  no  time  to  break  down, 
so  with  an  effort  I  collected  myself  and  stepped 
down  into  the  crowd.  Before  I  could  realize  it, 
I  found  myself  hurried  through  the  station  with 
several  hands  upon  each  of  my   arms.    Outside 


52  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

many  carriages  were  in  waiting,  and  without  the 
loss  of  a  moment  we  were  being  driven  at  a 
seemingly  dangerous  rate  of  speed  toward  the 
Mashrak-el-Azcar. 

The  Mashrak-el-Azcar  of  Eshkhabad — the 
largest  structure  of  its  kind  so  far  erected — 
stands  in  about  the  center  of  the  city,  with  its 
roof  and  dome  rising  high  above  the  surround- 
ing houses  and  trees.  It  is  visible  for  miles  over 
the  plain  as  the  traveler  approaches  the  city,  and 
seems  only  more  imposing  than  from  afar  when 
one  finds  himself  within  its  enclosure.  Here,  in 
the  lower  loggia  which  surrounds  the  building, 
we  were  greeted  individually  by  several  hundred 
Bahais.  After  tea  and  cooling  drinks  had  been 
served  and  greetings  exchanged,  everything 
quieted  down  while  prayers  were  chanted.  Dur- 
ing this  service  all  present  sat  in  a  respectful 
attitude,  while  one  of  the  friends,  the  possessor 
of  a  rich  and  melodious  voice,  lifted  it  in  chants 
of  praise  and  thanksgiving.  We  were  indeed 
thankful  to  have  attained  the  blessing  of  this 
meeting. 

The  chanting  over,  the  meeting  broke  up  and 
we  were  then  taken  around  the  temple  on  a  tour 
of  inspection.    Going  up  into  the  building  almost 


wm. 


THE     MASHRAK-EL-AZCAR     OF     ESHKHABAD 
UNDER  CONSTRUCTION. 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  53 

to  the  top  of  the  dome,  we  had  a  fine  view  of 
the  town  with  its  many  gardens  and  surround- 
ing country.  The  town  was  as  a  green  oasis  in 
the  desert,  water  from  the  neighboring  moun- 
tains being  brought  to  the  city  and  conducted 
through  water-ways  to  the  various  parks  and 
gardens  and  along  the  gutters,  in  order  that  even 
the  trees  which  flank  the  streets  might  be  wa- 
tered. 

In  the  days  of  Baha*o'llah,  He  advised  certain 
Bahais  to  migrate  to  and  settle  in  Eshkhabad.* 
At  that  time  the  place  was  little  more  than  a 
huddle  of  mud  huts.  However,  little  by  little, 
broad  boulevards  were  laid  off  and  substantial 
houses  were  erected  in  place  of  the  former  in- 
ferior ones,  until  now  it  is  a  modem  and  pros-> 
perous  city. 

The  Mashrak-el-Azcar  stands  in  the  center  of 
a  garden  bounded  by  four  streets.  In  the  four 
corners  of  this  enclosure  are  four  buildings. 
One  is  the  Bahai  school;  one  is  the  mosafer- 
khaneh,  or  travelers'  house,  where  pilgrims  and 
travelers  are  lodged ;  one  is  for  the  keepers,  while 
the  fourth  one  is  to  be  used  as  a  hospital.  Nine 
radial  avenues  approach  the  temple  from  the  sev- 

*Eshkhabad  means  "City  of  Love." 


54  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

eral  parts  of  the  grounds,  one  of  which,  the  prin- 
cipal approach  to  the  building,  leads  from  the 
main  gateway  of  the  grounds  to  the  principal 
portal  of  the  temple. 

The  temple  is  built  on  the  plan  of  a  regular 
polygon  of  nine  sides.  One  side  is  occupied  by 
the  main  entrance,  flanked  by  two  slender  tur- 
rets. This,  the  principal  doorway,  opens  toward 
the  direction  of  the  Holy  Land.  The  entire 
building  is  surrounded  by  two  series — one  upper 
and  one  lower — of  loggias  which  open  out  upon 
the  garden. 

The  principal  feature  of  the  interior  is  the 
rotunda  beneath  the  dome,  which  latter  is  the 
dominant  feature  of  the  exterior.  The  rotunda 
is  surrounded  by  an  aisle  or  ambulatory.  Doors 
give  egress  from  the  ambulatory  to  the  lower 
loggia  without. 

The  interior  walls  of  the  rotunda  are  treated 
in  five  distinct  stories.  First,  a  series  of  nine 
arches  and  piers  which  separate  the  rotunda 
from  the  ambulatory.  Second,  a  similar  treat- 
ment with  balustrades  which  separate  the  tri- 
forium  gallery  (which  is  above  the  ambulatory 
and  is  reached  by  two  staircases  in  the  loggias, 
placed  one  on  either  side  of  the  main  entrance) 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  55 

from  the  well  of  the  rotunda.  Third,  a  series  of 
nine  blank  arches  filled  with  fretwork,  between 
which  are  escutcheons  bearing  The  Greatest 
Name.*  Fourth,  a  series  of  nine  large  arched 
windows.  Fifth,  a  series  of  eighteen  bull's-eye 
windows.  Above  and  resting  on  a  cornice  sur- 
mounting this  last  story  rises  the  inner  hemi- 
spherical shell  of  the  dome. 

The  interior  is  elaborately  decorated  in  plas- 
ter relief  work.  I  am  under  the  impression  that 
eventually  it  is  the  intention  to  treat  the  interior 
in  colors  and  gold,  but  at  present  it  is  in  the 
simple  white  stucco.  The  exterior  is  also  being 
done  in  stucco,  which  in  that  climate  resists 
quite  well  the  action  of  the  elements.  The  style 
of  the  temple  is  oriental,  such  as  is  common  in 
Persia,  while  the  exterior  treatment  of  certain 
parts  reminds  one  of  the  famous  Taj-Mahal  in 
India.  The  walls,  which  are  of  brick,  are  mas- 
sively built,  while  the  floors  and  dome  are  of 
concrete  and  iron.  The  whole  structure  im- 
presses one  by  its  mass  and  strength. 

Imposing  as  is  the  Mashrak-el-Azcar  as  a 
building,  the  symbol  for  which  it  stands,  the 
spiritual  unity  of  the  Bahais    of  the    Orient,  is 


*Allaho'Abha    (God  is  the  Most   Glorious). 


56  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

that  which  impresses  the  believer  more  than  all 
else.  It  represents  the  voluntary  heartfelt  offer- 
ings of  a  multitude  of  souls,  the  blending  of  the 
spirit  of  v^hich  is  a  power  distinctively  felt.  The 
temple  building  is  as  an  ensign  which  testifies 
of  this  unity. 

That  which  is  manifested  or  expressed  is  more 
virile  and  forceful  than  that  which  is  not  mani- 
fested or  unexpressed.  The  rearing  of  this  tem- 
ple in  the  East  has  been  a  great  source  of 
strength  to  the  people  there,  for  through  thus  ex- 
pressing their  unity  the  Bahais  have  become 
stronger  and  more  united  than  ever  before.  Now 
in  America  the  Bahais  are  arising  to  build  a 
Mashrak-el-Azcar.  Who  can  estimate  the  effect 
which  will  be  produced  by  this  building?  It  will 
be  the  cause  of  great  strength  and  unity  among 
the  believers  of  the  Occident  and,  being  The 
House  of  Unity  open  to  all  peoples,  it  will  be  as 
a  haven  of  rest  to  many  a  soul  and  as  a  beacon 
to  guide  those  who  seek.  This  all  and  more,  too, 
it  will  be  for  us  of  the  West.  Now  for  those 
faithful  souls  of  the  Orient — those  through 
whose  suffering  and  sacrifice  we  in  the  West 
have  received  the  spiritual  light  of  this  latter- 
day  revelation — those  through  whose  labors  the 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLEE  57 

way  has  been  made  easy  for  us  of  the  Occident 
—a  Mashrak-el-Azcar  in  America  will  be  as  the 
confirmation  of  their  hopes  and  prayers  for  the 

West. 

The  erection  of  a  temple  in  the  West  will 
strengthen  the  Holy  Cause  in  the  East  more  than 
anything  which  could  happen  in  this  country. 
Has  not  Abdul-Baha  said  that  after  teaching  the 
Message  of  Baha'o'llah  of  all  things  now  to  be 
accomplished  in  the  West  the  building  of  the 
temple  is  the  most  important?  Throughout  the 
Bahai  world  the  eyes  of  all  are  expectingly 
turned  toward  this  country.  Now  we  must  show 
them  a  sign  of  spiritual  unity  and  this  must  h6 
the  Mashrak-el-Azcar. 

The  Bahais  of  Eshkhabad  form  a  strong  ele- 
ment in  the  life  of  the  place,  and  they  are  highly 
thought  of  and  protected  by  the  government. 
One  of  the  friends  told  us  of  the  way  in  which— 
about  eighteen  or  twenty  years  ago— the  Bahai 
Cause  was  first  brought  to  the  public  notice  in 
Eshkhabad  by  a  martyrdom.  It  was  the  case  of 
a  learned  man  of  some  prominence,  who  met  his 
death  through  receiving  many  wounds  at  the 
hands  of  two  assassins.  These  two  individuals 
had  been  hired  to  do  the  deed  by  five  Moslems, 


58  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

who  took  this  measure  to  try  to  stop  the  spread 
of  the  cause  in  that  city.  The  Russian  authori- 
ties took  the  matter  in  hand  and  condemned  to 
death  all  seven  men.  The  Bahais  then  peti- 
tioned the  governor  to  spare  their  lives.  He  not 
having  authority  to  do  this,  a  petition  to  the 
same  effect  was  sent  to  the  Czar,  who  granted  it, 
and  thus  the  prisoners  were  sent  in  chains  to 
the  mines  of  Siberia  and  now  not  one  of  the 
seven  remains.  Here  is  but  another  instance  of 
the  growth  of  the  cause  through  persecution,  for 
from  that  time  on  the  government  not  only  al- 
lowed the  Bahais  to  worship  as  they  chose,  but  it 
protected  them  and  showed  them  special  favors. 

During  our  stay  in  Eshkhabad  we  were  en- 
tertained in  the  home  of  a  Bahai  by  the  name  of 
Abbasoff.  The  house  with  its  terrace,  porches 
and  garden  was  a  large  one,  but  none  too  spa- 
cious for  the  number  of  friends  who  thronged 
it.  Sometimes  we  sat  at  table  with  as  many  as 
forty  persons,  and  I  do  not  recall  dining  with  less 
than  fifteen  at  table.  Between  meals  the  samo- 
var was  constantly  kept  boiling  and  a  running 
service  of  tea,  ices  and  cooling  drinks  was  for  the 
refreshment  of  the  many  callers. 

Three  days  after  our  arrival  in  Eshkhabad  we 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  59 

went  up  into  the  mountains  for  a  few  days  to  a 
resort  called  Feerouzay,  where  some  of  our 
friends  had  summer  homes.  Several  of  the  Ba- 
hais  accompanied  us  thither,  and  while  there  we 
were  joined  by  about  thirty  others  who  had  gone 
up  from  the  city  for  the  occasion. 

Every  arrangement  was  made  for  our  personal 
comfort  during  the  drive  of  several  hours  to 
Feerouzay.  We  halted  several  times  beside 
streams  to  rest  the  horses  as  well  as  to  refresh 
ourselves  by  washing  our  faces  and  hands.  In 
those  oriental  countries  there  is  much  dust,  so 
the  traveler  welcomes  running  water.  In  one  of 
the  carriages  was  a  supply  of  ice  and  soda  waters 
— nothing  had  been  forgotten.  At  first  the  route 
lay  over  a  track  on  the  sandy  plain  as  far  as 
the  mountains,  then  it  wound  up  a  narrow  gorge 
until  a  fertile  valley  high  up  in  the  mountains 
was  reached,  at  the  upper  end  of  which  was  the^ 
town  of  Feerouzay. 

In  the  bazaar  quarter  of  the  town  we  were 
greeted  by  a  number  who  had  congregated  there 
to  welcome  us.  They  were  arranged  in  a  double 
line  on  either  side  of  the  roadway/  as  we  drove 
past.  Shortly  after  our  arrival  in  the  home  of 
Mirza   Mohammed   Afnan,  a   son    of   the   aged 


60  OBSESVATIONS  OF 

Afnan  of  Akka,  where  we  were  to  be  entertained, 
quite  a  party  gathered  for  dinner,  the  festivity 
continuing  late  into  the  night. 

During  the  drive  up  to  Feerouzay,  my  com- 
panion fell  into  conversation  with  the  driver  of 
the  carriage  in  which  he  rode,  and  the  man  be- 
came much  interested  in  the  teaching.  On  the 
following  day,  at  an  early  hour,  the  latter  came 
with  his  family  to  the  house  to  see  my  friend 
and  to  hear  more  about  the  message.  Our  com- 
ing had  been  noised  about,  so  we  met  many  oth- 
ers, also,  who  were  desirous  of  knowing  about 
the  Bahai  teaching. 

From  where  we  were,  near  the  frontier,  we 
could  see  the  mountains  of  Persia.  It  seemed 
strange  that  upon  one  side  of  an  imaginary  line 
our  people  were  protected  and  safe,  while,  upon 
the  other  side,  opposite  conditions  reigned.  The 
Bahais  are  safe  in  Turkestan,  so  from  time  to 
time  Bahai  refugees  have  sought  protection  there 
from  the  persecutions  in  Persia.  Sheikh  Ali  Ak- 
bar,  one  of  the  friends  who  formerly  had  been  a 
mullah  (priest  of  Islam),  told  us  of  some  of  the 
troubles  which  he  had  encountered  through 
preaching  and  teaching  among  his  own  people, 
until  finally  he  had  been  obliged  to    leave    his 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  61 

home.  This  man  interested  us  greatly — a  man 
of  commanding  presence,  whose  finely  cut  feat- 
ures and  poise  of  bearing  bespoke  the  high  caste 
Moslem  with  his  pride  and  learning,  in  addition 
to  which  was  the  gentle  influence  of  love  which 
had  come  into  his  life  with  his  acceptance  of  the 
Bahai  faith  and  his  trouble  and  sacrifices  there- 
in.   A  whole  history  was  written  in  the  lines  of 

his  face. 

Another  type  was  Sheikh  Mohammed  Ali, 
upon  whom  devolves  the  chanting  of  the  prayers 
and  holy  words  in  the  Mashrak-el-Azcar,  who 
has  been  given  this  service  to  perform  on  ac- 
count of  his  vocal  qualifications  and  devotion  to 
the  cause.  From  his  brilliant  face,  smiles  and 
good  cheer,  one  could  hardly  believe  that  his 
back  and  shoulders  were  a  mass  of  scars  from 
wounds  inflicted  as  torture  for  his  faith  at  the 
hands  of  fanatical  Moslems. 

Everjrwhere  we  found  joy  upon  the  faces  of 
those  who  had  suffered  the  most.  Only  once 
do  I  recall  encountering  grief.  It  was  upon 
meeting  with  a  believer,  a  very  old  and  infirm 
man,  who  wept  when  he  greeted  us.  We  were 
told  that  several  members  of  his  family  had  been 


62  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

martyred  during  the  comparatively  recent  mas- 
sacres of  Bahais  in  Yazd. 

While  in  Feerouzay  there  was  a  constant 
round  of  meetings  and  gatherings.  I  will  make 
special  mention  of  one — a  Bahai  christening 
which  we  attended.  On  the  day  of  our  arrival 
in  Eshkhabad  a  son  was  born  to  Aga  Reza,  one 
of  the  friends  of  Feerouzay.  We  were  asked  to 
name  the  baby.  My  friend  selected  the  name 
Rouh'o'llah,  which  gave  evident  satisfaction. 
On  the  fifth  day  after  the  child's  birth  we  all 
gathered  at  the  house  where  a  feast  had  been 
prepared.  Tables  were  spread  on  a  broad  piazza 
overlooking  a  garden.  The  baby  was  brought 
out  held  up  for  inspection,  prayers  and  tablets 
were  chanted,  and  before  the  refreshments  were 
served  a  translation  of  one  of  *Mrs.  Waite's 
poems  was  also  chanted. 

Unfortunately  we  were  limited  as  to  time  and 
were  unable  to  travel  further  into  Turkestan, 
where  there  are  other  Bahai  centers.  V7hile  in 
Eshkhabad  we  met  several  friends  from  Merve, 
Samarkhand  and  Khokhand  (which  latter  is  the 
extreme  eastern  end  of  Turkestan  near  the  con- 
fines of  China),  and  it  was  difficult  to  resist  the 

*One  of  the  American   Bahais. 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  63 

urgent   and  pressing  invitations  to  visit  their 
cities. 

Our  departure  from  Eshkhabad  was  as  much 
of  an  occasion  as  our  arrival  had  been.  It 
seemed  as  if  every  person  we  had  met  while 
there  was  at  the  station  to  bid  us  adieu.  Then, 
at  several  stations  along  the  route  of  travel,  we 
were  again  met  by  the  same  good  friends  whd 
had  welcomed  us  before.  Three  of  our  good 
oriental  brothers  accompanied  us  from  Eshkha- 
bad to  Baku,  where  we  arrived  after  two  nights 
and  one  day  of  travel. 

The  two  days  spent  in  Baku,  between  our  sec- 
ond arrival  and  our  departure  for  Persia,  passed 
in  much  the  same  way  as  had  our  previous  visit. 
We  were  constantly  with  the  friends  and  on  the 
move  from  one  meeting  or  entertainment  to  the 
next.  Quite  the  same  crowd  escorted  us  again 
to  the  quay,  this  time  there  being  no  possibility 
of  the  authorities  making  trouble  for  us,  as  we 
were  to  land  upon  Persian — not   Russian — soil. 

In  going  from  Russia  into  Persia  the  Bahai  is 
struck  by  the  difference  in  the  outward  attitude 
in  relation  to  the  cause  of  the  friends  in  those 
two  countries.  In  Russia  they  are  outspoken 
about   the   faith,   because   they   are   protected, 


64  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

while  in  Persia  it  is  often  with  difficulty  that  one 
is  able  to  recognize  the  Bahais,  because  they 
dare  not  always  manifest  their  real  selves  on  ac- 
count of  the  persecution.  One  instance  of  this 
happened  on  board  the  steamer  from  Baku  as 
she  was  entering  Persian  waters. 

Before  sailing  we  were  told  that  there  were 
some  spies  aboard  and,  in  case  we  were  ques- 
tioned as  to  our  business,  to  be  careful  with  our 
replies.  Consequently,  when  I  was  approached 
by  a  tall  young  man  wearing  a  Russian  cap  and 
long  military  coat,  who  persisted  in  questioning 
me  regarding  my  sojourn  in  Baku  and  my  desti- 
nation and  friends  in  Persia,  I  intimated  as 
plainly  as  possible,  without  actually  telling  him 
so,  that  I  did  not  desire  his  company.  Never- 
theless, he  pushed  the  matter  by  asking  if  I  did 
not  know  various  people  in  Baku,  mentioning 
certain  Bahais  who  lived  there.  Something, 
either  in  my  reply  or  perhaps  in  my  evasion  of 
his  question,  seemed  to  give  him  the  cue  he 
sought.  We  were  seated  at  a  table  on  the  deck 
of  the  steamer,  and  reaching  under  the  table  he 
grasped  my  hand,  at  the  same  time  pronouncing 
The  Greatest  Name,  the  Bahai  greeting— "Al- 
laho'Abha  "    My  chagrin  at  having  so  sedulously 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLEE  65 

tried  to  avoid  this  man  was  only  counteracted  by 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  him  as  a  friend  and 
brother.  We  had  supper  together,  followed  by 
a  conversation  which  lasted  late  into  the  night. 
He  was  a  student  of  engineering  in  a  college  in! 
Baku  and  was  then  taking  a  vacation  trip  into 
Persia.  Before  the  steamer  reached  Enzalee, 
where  v/e  landed,  our  friend  had  disembarked  at 
an  intermediate  port  on  his  way  into  the  interior. 


The  contrast  between  the  eastern  and  south- 
ern shores  of  the  Caspian  Sea  is  most  striking. 
The  former,  or  that  of  Turkestan,  is  arid  and 
sterile,  while  the  latter,  or  that  of  Persia,  is  most 
luxuriantly  clothed  with  verdure.  As  the  steam- 
er neared  the  coast  the  very  air  teemed  with 
vegetation  and  insect  life.  The  sea  being  very 
shallow  about  Enzalee,  in  rough  weather  vessels 
have  difficulty  in  making  the  port.  Fortunately 
for  us  there  was  no  sea  on,  so  the  landing  was 
easily  accomplished. 

Mirza  Taghi  Khan,  who  had  accompanied  us 
from  Eshkhabad,  recognized  a  Bahai  brother  in 
the  custom-house  office,  where  we  had  some  for- 
malities to  attend  to  in  entering  our  luggage,  but 


66  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

it  not  being  advisable  there  to  enter  into  saluta- 
tions and  conversation  with  this  friend,  we  sim- 
ply exchanged  fraternal  and  understanding 
glances  and  passed  on. 

From  Enzalee  we  re-embarked  for  Peere  Ba- 
zaar en  route  for  Resht — a  trip  of  three  or  four 
hours.  The  boat  was  rowed  and  poled  across  the 
lagoons,  which  here  begin  near  the  sea  coast, 
extending  inland  for  some  distance.  After  a 
time  we  entered  an  inlet,  whereupon  the  crew 
descended  to  a  towpath  and  towed  the  craft  to 
the  bazaar  where  we  landed. 

I  wish  I  might  adequately  describe  this  boat 
ride.  It  was  so  typical  of  Persia  that  nothing 
could  have  formed  a  better  introduction  to  that 
country  and  to  her  people.  The  absolute  sim- 
plicity of  the  mode  of  transportation,  with  the 
absence  of  all  hustle  and  bustle,  made  it  seem 
quite  like  a  pleasure  excursion  where  time  was 
no  object  whatever. 

On  the  stem  of  the  boat  was  constructed  a 
rude  framework  upon  which  was  stretched  an 
awning  under  which,  reclining  on  cushions,  we 
made  ourselves  comfortable.  The  lagoon  was 
bordered  by  thickets  of  reeds  and  rushes,  and  at 
several    points    we    saw    buffaloes    feeding    on 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLEE  67 

rushes,  their  great  black  hairless  backs  pro- 
truding from  the  water,  giving  them  the  appear- 
ance of  amphibious  monsters. 

As  we  entered  the  inlet  we  passed  close  to 
huddles  of  huts,  where  we  were  able  to  obtain 
a  first  glimpse  of  the  domestic  life  of  the  coun- 
try people.  Here  in  the  lowlands,  where  timber 
is  plenty,  the  houses  of  the  poorer  people  are 
built  of  a  light  hewn  timber  framework,  which  is 
thatched  and  walled  with  reeds  and  rushes  and, 
in  some  cases,  plastered  with  mud.  On  account 
of  the  humidity  of  the  marshes  the  floor  is  us- 
ually raised  several  feet  above  the  ground,  al- 
lowing a  circulation  of  air  beneath  the  house. 

We  were  rather  rudely  awakened  from  this 
dreamlike  atmosphere  of  simple  life  and  poetic 
travel  by  the  confusion  which  accompanied  our 
landing  at  Peere  Bazaar.  Surrounded  by  a  score 
of  men,  each  of  whom  laid  hold  of  at  least  one 
of  our  many  articles  of  impediment,  we  made  our 
way  up  a  steep  bank  to  a  large  building  which 
housed  the  shops  of  the  bazaar.  After  a  heated 
discussion  of  some  length  with  a  carriage  driver 
— a  discussion  in  which  each  member  of  the  as- 
sembled crowd  took  great  interest— a    bargain 


68  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

was  made,  so  we  mounted  and  began  the  drive 
toward  the  city  of  Resht,  only  a  few  miles  dis- 
tant. 

On  the  highroads  of  Persia  one  sees  almost 
every  aspect  of  the  life  of  the  people  of  the  lower 
classes.  At  every  turn  and  between  the  turns 
are  tchi  khanehs  or  tea  houses,  where  the  peo- 
ple gather  to  partake  of  tea,  their  national  bev- 
erage. These  buildings  always  have  large  door- 
ways opening  toward  the  road,  and,  in  some 
cases,  even  the  whole  side  of  the  house  is  formed 
of  movable  shutters,  which,  when  removed,  give 
the  house  the  character  of  a  great  porch. 
Against  the  wall,  usually  opposite  the  doorway, 
is  the  sakkou,  a  stand  upon  which  rests  the  sam- 
ovar or  tea  urn.  This  stand  is  often  quite  ani 
elaborate  affair,  somewhat  resembling  a  church 
altar  with  its  series  of  steps  and  shelves,  upon 
which  are  displayed  lamps,  tea  utensils  and  the 
like,  which  form  the  necessary  culinary  outfit  of 
the  establishment.  On  a  broad,  low  seat  extend- 
ing about  the  walls  of  the  room  sit,  in  the  Per- 
sian fashion,  with  their  feet  drawn  up  under 
them,  the  customers  drinking  their  tea,  and 
smoking  their  large  water  pipes.  Here  often  a 
minstrel  is  heard  singing  his  lay  to  an  accom- 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  69 

paniment  played  upon  a  guitar-like  instrument, 
while  ofttimes  professional  story-tellers  or  trav- 
elers entertain  the  crowd  with  tales  and  anec- 
dotes. The  Persian  is  undoubtedly  the  most  so- 
cial of  all  men,  and  this  characteristic  is  the  first 
and  last  impressed  upon  the  traveler  as  he  jour- 
neys through  the  country,  for  he  observes  it  in 
every  grade  of  society. 

On  arriving  in  Resht,  we  drove  to  the  house 
of  one  of  the  Bahai  friends.  The  master  of  the 
house  was  not  at  home,  but  after  we  explained 
to  the  servants  that  we  had  come  for  a  visit  they 
made  us  very  welcome,  serving  a  lunch,  after 
which,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  country, 
we  were  put  to  bed  for  an  afternoon  nap.  After 
sleeping  for  an  hour  or  more  I  awoke,  and  look- 
ing out  into  the  next  room,  saw  there  our  host 
quietly  seated  waiting  for  us  to  awake.  Though 
I  had  never  met  this  good  friend  I  recognized 
him  from  having  seen  his  photograph,  and  on 
going  out  into  the  next  room  he  greeted  me  with 
the  hospitable  and  customary  embrace  of  the 
Orient. 

Our  thought  had  been  to  stay  at  Resht  only 
over  night,  but  when  we  found  ourselves  in  the 
hands  of  the    friends  there  it    was  difficult    to 


70  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

break  away.  After  much  talking  they  decided 
to  allow  us  to  continue  our  journey  at  the  ex- 
piration of  three  days. 

In  the  late  afternoon  of  the  day  we  arrived, 
we  began  to  receive  calls  from  friends  who  had 
been  notified  of  our  arrival.  On  account  of  the 
persecution  of  our  people  in  Resht  not  more 
than  nineteen  or  twenty  gathered  in  the  house 
at  any  one  time,  but  there  was  a  constant  com- 
ing and  going  until  late  in  the  night.  Everyone 
was  anxious  to  hear  the  latest  news  from  Akka 
and  also  of  the  work  in  the  West.  My  compan- 
ion, who  spoke  the  language  of  the  country,  was 
kept  quite  busy  talking.  Not  speaking  Persian, 
my  conversation  was  limited  to  the  few  who 
spoke  English  and  French.  However,  this  was 
not  without  its  advantages,  for  not  being  occu- 
pied in  talking,  I  had  an  opportunity  for  observ- 
ing many  things  which  otherwise  might  have  es- 
caped me. 

After  dinner,  which  was  served  between  ten 
and  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  we  mounted  to  a  bal- 
cony overlooking  the  neighboring  houses  and 
gardens,  where  coffee  was  served.  Here  we  sat 
talking  of  the  cause  until  a  late  hour.  The  still- 
ness of  the  nights  in  the  Orient  is   impressive. 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  71 

Here  we  were  in  the  heart  of  a  large  city,  yet 
save  for  the  occasional  cry  of  a  night  watchman, 
or  a  singer  chanting,  or  the  tinkling  of  the  bells 
of  a  caravan  passing  in  the  distance,  there  was 
nothing  to  break  the  silence.  This,  with  the 
brilliancy  of  the  firmament  and  the  refreshing 
breezes  of  the  night  in  contrast  with  the  parch- 
ing heat  of  the  day,  makes  the  night  the  time 
when  the  Oriental  people  really  live. 

Under  such  climatic  conditions  it  is  not  sur- 
prising that  the  Oriental  has  turned  his  atten- 
tion from  things  material  to  things  immaterial, 
from  the  practical  tQ  the  poetic,  and  from  the 
outer  world  of  nature  to  the  inner  world  of  the 
spirit.  Things  spiritual  have  always  had  their' 
first  fruition  and  growth  in  the  Orient  and  from 
there  they  have  found  their  way  to  the  West, 
where  they  have  become  the  moving  factor  in 
our  lives  and  the  basis  of  our  civilization. 

It  was  in  Persia  that  the  wise  men  of  old  read 
from  the  heavens  of  the  approaching  birth  of 
Jesus,  The  Christ,  before  they  went  westward 
to  welcome  and  pay  homage  to  Him,  the  Mes- 
siah. It  was  from  the  Orient  that  Christ's  mes- 
sage went  forth  to  the  western  world — the  fruits 
of  the  spirit  of  which  we  in  the  West  are  now 


72  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

enjoying — for  the  most  enlightened  civilization 
of  the  present  day  is  the  fruit  of  the  spiritual 
awakening  of  man  through  Christ. 

But  now  another  note  has  sounded  throughout 
the  world.  Baha'o'llah,  the  Promised  One  of  all 
religions,  has  appeared  in  order  to  unite  all  peo- 
ples of  all  faiths,  and  it  was  with  His  followers 
that  we  lived  and  traveled  in  the  East.  Surely 
no  western  travelers  in  those  distant  lands  ever 
had  so  warm  a  reception  as  we  did — at  times  en- 
tertained in  the  places  of  the  wealthy,  and  at 
other  times  in  the  simplest  of  mud  dwellings 
along  the  wayside;  yet  everywhere  with  the 
same  heartfelt  hospitality.  The  fact  that  one 
was  able  to  serve  a  banquet,  and  another  but  a 
cup  of  tea,  in  no  way  seemed  to  restrict  the 
warmth  of  the  meeting  nor  their  desire  to  share 
with  others. 

With  the  Bahais  the  tie  of  faith  is  the  strong- 
est of  ties.  Though  two  Bahais  may  meet  but 
for  a  few  moments  it  is  as  if  they  had  always 
been  friends.  Westerners  have  written  and  said 
much  about  the  treachery  of  the  Oriental,  while 
but  scanty  if  any  mention  is  made  of  him  as  a 
friend.  Westerners  see  the  wrong  side  of  East- 
ern character,  because  they  usually    go  to  the 


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A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  73 

East  to  plunder — not  to  court — for  most  times 
they  go  to  the  East  to  enrich  themselves  at  the 
expense  of  the  Oriental.  This  is  easy  and  pos- 
sible because  of  the  superior  practical  education 
of  the  West  but,  in  turn,  it  has  its  reactionary 
effect  upon  both  peoples,  for  it  increases  the  nat- 
ural abyss  between  Occident  and  Orient  and 
calls  forth  the  worst  characteristics  of  both.  But 
how  different  is  all  this  with  those  who  go  to  the 
East  in  the  Bahai  spirit  of  brotherhood  to  give 
and  to  win  and  not  to  take.  They  find  friends 
in  every  city  and  hamlet,  and  many  a  friendly 
door  open  to  them  along  the  roadside  and  cara- 
van route,  for  through  the  uniting  spirit  of  the 
Bahai  teaching,  the  greatest  degree  of  fraternity 
and  friendship  exists  among  its  followers. 
Through  this  spiritual  power  the  highest  and 
most  noble  characteristics  of  man's  soul  are  de- 
veloped and  become  his  ruling  instincts. 


The  three  days  spent  in  Resht  passed  quickly. 
Here  we  had  our  first  glimpse  of  the  home  life 
of  the  people  of  Persia,  for  we  were  with  the 
friends  all  the  time,  going  from  one  home  to  the 
next,  for  a  meal  here  or  for  tea  there.  We  al- 
ways met  small  groups  of  people,  wisdom  not 


74  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

permitting  the  holding  of  large  gatherings  on  ac- 
count of  the  opposition  and  trouble  brought 
about  by  the  unbelievers.  I  recall  one  day  when 
we  had  gathered,  nineteen  in  number,  in  the 
upper  part  of  a  dwelling.  The  friend  who 
chanted  the  prayers  and  holy  verses  used  cau- 
tion in  modulating  his  voice,  so  that  it  might  not 
carry  to  the  street  below,  lest  it  mi-ght  attract 
the  attention  of  unfriendlj^  ears.  During  this 
meeting  a  commotion  took  place  in  the  street 
beneath.  This  v/as  caused  by  an  altercation  be- 
tween some  passers-by.  For  a  moment  every 
one  in  the  chamber  held  his  breath,  until  one  of 
the  men,  cautiously  approaching  a  window,  sat- 
isfied himself  that  there  was  no  danger.  I  will 
never  forget  this  picture.  The  assembled  Be- 
lievers exchanged  glances  which  bespoke  experi- 
ences of  past  troubles  and  persecutions,  while  at 
the  far  end  of  the  room  stood  the  friend  cau- 
tiously peering  out  into  the  street  through  the 
partially  closed  shutter. 

Much  suffering  and  trouble  has  made  the  Per- 
sian Bahais  vigilant  and  cautious  in  evading  the 
troubles  heaped  upon  them  by  the  Musselmans, 
yet  at  the  same  time  it  has  made  them  strong  in 
faith  and  ready  to  withstand  the  most  dire  ca- 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  75 

lamity  and  even  martyrdom  in  the  cause.  Once 
I  remonstrated  with  some  friends  against  their 
being  seen  walking  in  the  streets  with  my  com- 
panion and  me,  lest  this  should  cause  trouble  for 
them  whereupon,  not  understanding  me  very 
well,  they  assured  me  that  no  bodily  harm  could 
befall  us  because  we  were  Occidentals,  for  whom 
even  the  fanatical  Moslems  have  a  certain  re- 
spect, while,  as  for  themselves,  they  were  ready 
at  all  times  to  be  added  to  the  great  army  of 
Bahai  martyrs.  Though  dispassionately  said, 
they  but  voiced  the  sentiment  of  the  Persian  Ba- 
hais  in  general,  the  sincerity  of  which  has  often 
been  demonstrated  by  the  vast  numbers  who 
willingly  and  with  joy  have  sacrificed  property, 
family  and  life  in  the  path  of  Baha. 


Teheran  is  about  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  miles  from  Resht  by  the  carriage  road. 
This  road,  built  and  maintained  by  Russian 
enterprise,  is  an  excellent  piece  of  engineer- 
ing, and  in  recent  years  has  made  the  trip 
to  the  capital  one  of  comparative  ease  and 
comfort.  A  well  organized  system  of  relay  sta- 
tions affords  changes  of  horses  along  the  route, 
so  if  the  traveler  be  pressed  for  time  the  entire 


76  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

trip  may  be  made  in  forty-eight  or  fifty  hours. 
However,  this  traveling  day  and  night  without 
rest  is  fatiguing,  so  we  found  it  better  to  travel 
by  night,  resting  in  the  middle  of  the  day  when 
the  sun  was  highest. 

Accordingly,  my  American  companion,  Mirza 
Taghi  Khan,  our  Persian  friend,  and  I  set  out 
from  Resht  for  Teheran.  Several  of  the  good 
friends  accompanied  us  to  a  point  without  the 
city  limits,  where  we  changed  from  the  light 
carriage  in  which  we  had  come  to  a  heavy  trav- 
eling coach  drawn  by  four  horses,  which  was  to 
convey  us  to  our  destination.  Here  parting 
greetings  were  exchanged  and  we  started  on  our 
cross-country  journey. 

For  some  distance  our  way  led  through  the 
rice  fields  of  the  lowlands  which  border  the  Cas- 
pian Sea  and  where  the  sea  once  extended  until 
driven  back  by  alluvial  deposits  brought  down 
from  the  mountains.  Then,  winding  up  a  broad 
valley,  we  found  ourselves  amid  the  heavily 
wooded  foot  hills  of  the  Elburz  range.  Making 
stops  every  three  or  four  hours  to  change  horses 
gave  us  opportunity  to  refresh  ourselves  with 
tea  and  food  at  the  post-khanehs  (post-houses) 
along  the  route. 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLEB  77 

At  various  points  we  were  met  by  Bahai 
friends  who  had  been  notified  of  our  coming.  At 
one  place  a  friend  was  very  disappointed  that  v/e 
could  not  remain  for  dinner,  but  as  we  had  dined 
shortly  before,  it  was  impossible  and  we  did  not 
have  time  to  remain  until  the  next  meal.  To  our 
surprise,  a  few  hours  later,  while  stopping  at  a 
post-khaneh  we  had  a  phone  message  from  an 
inn  a  couple  of  hours  ahead  saying  that  our 
friend,  with  whom  we  were  not  able  to  dine, 
had  arranged  by  phone  that  we  should  be  his 
guests  there  that  evening,  even  though  he  could 
not  be  there  to  feast  with  us.  The  object  of  the 
message  sent  us  from  the  inn  was  to  inquire 
what  we  might  like  for  dinner  in  order  that  all 
might  be  in  readiness  when  we  arrived. 

In  one  place  I  well  remember  we  were  met 
by  a  young  man  who  had  lived  in  Shiraz.  He 
took  us  into  his  little  house  consisting  of  but 
one  room.  Simple  as  was  this  abode  we  had  no 
more  hearty  welcome  anywhere.  Searching  in 
the  depths  of  a  chest  he  produced  pamphlets  and 
Bahai  greetings  printed  in  Washington,  which 
had  found  their  way  thither  and  were  being  pre- 
served along  with  other  treasures  relating  to  the 
cause.     Here  we  remained  for  tea,  but    as  our 


78  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

time  was  limited,  we  felt  we  must  decline  a  very 
pressing  invitation  to  remain  for  the  night.  Our 
young  friend,  disappointed  at  not  seeing  more 
of  us,  took  the  fourth  place  in  the  coach  and 
journeyed  along  with  us  in  order  that  the  visit 
might  be  prolonged. 

Shortly  before  our  arrival  in  Persian  territory, 
the  country  had  been  greatly  stirred  by  the  bom- 
bardment of  the  parliament  in  Teheran  by  the 
troops  of  the  Shah,  and  of  the  massacre  and  im- 
prisonment of  a  number  of  the  members  of  that 
unfortunate  body.  This  action  upon  the  part  of 
the  imperial  party  was  the  outcome  of  a  long  dis- 
agreement between  the  Shah  and  the  Constitu- 
tionalists— a  political  matter  which  for  some 
time  had  agitated  the  country. 

As  we  journeyed  onward,  our  friend  spoke  at 
some  length  of  these  political  troubles  which 
were  occupying  the  attention  of  every  one,  at  the 
same  time  saying  that  the  Bahais  had  remained 
neutral  in  the  hope  of  helping  the  condition  of 
the  country  along  the  lines  of  peace  and  arbitra- 
tion rather  than  by  strife  and  bloodshed.  Later 
on  he  informed  us  that  several  constitutionalist 
fugitives,  on  their  way  from  Teheran  to  exile  in 
Europe,  were  hourly  expected  to  pass  over  that 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  79 

portion  of  the  route;  so  we  kept  an  eye  ahead, 
hoping  to  obtain  a  glimpse  of  the  expected 
party. 

By  this  time  the  road  had  entered  between 
high  and  barren  mountains  with  scarcely  a  ves- 
tige of  vegetation,  for  we  were  leaving  behind 
us  the  fertile  lowlands  and  ascending  the  moun- 
tains which  form  the  northern  buttress  of  the 
great  central  plateau  of  Persia.  To  add  to  the 
dismalness  of  the  scene  night  was  closing  in  and 
gusts  of  wind  mingled  with  rain  and  flashes  of 
lightning  made  the  falling  darkness  more  in- 
tense, while  peals  of  distant  thunder  broke  the 
monotony  of  the  clatter  of  the  horses'  hoofs  and 
the  rumble  of  the  coach. 

More  and  more  the  mountain  sides  encroached 
upon  the  valley,  until  the  road  entered  a  deep 
gorge  in  the  rocks.  To  one  side  towered  an  al- 
most perpendicular  cliff ;  on  the  other  descended 
a  chasm,  in  the  depths  of  which  dashed  a  moun- 
tain torrent  on  its  turbulent  way  to  the  lands 
below.  While  passing  through  this  defile,  the 
pent-up  fury  of  the  storm  broke  with  all  its  force. 
Suddenly  a  shout  was  heard  ahead,  and  we 
peered  out  into  the  gloom  just  in  time  to  see 
three  coaches  pass  in  quick  succession.    With  the 


80  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

first  came  a  flash  of  lightning  that  revealed  to  us 
the  anxious  and  haggard  faces  of  its  occupants — 
two  of  the  fugitives  in  their  flight.  In  an  in- 
stant they  were  gone,  and  the  noise  of  the 
coaches  was  lost  in  the  distance. 

In  a  few  moments  a  bridge  over  the  ravine 
and  an  abrupt  turn  in  the  road  brought  us  out 
into  a  broad  upland  valley,  where  the  storm  had 
ceased,  and  shortly  we  drew  up  before  the 
house  of  a  Bahai  friend  in  the  village  of  Mangile, 
to  find  a  welcome  awaiting  us.  Here  we  took 
refuge,  and  in  an  upper  chamber  seated  ourselves 
about  a  table  upon  which  was  spread  a  tempting 
meal. 

After  supper  we  sat  talking  for  a  time  and/ 
listening  to  some  music  which  our  friend,  who 
had  lived  in  Shiraz,  made  upon  a  Persian  guitar. 
Being  tired,  both  the  other  American  and  I  fell 
asleep.  Awaking  about  three  hours  later,  we 
found  the  sky  perfectly  clear  and  the  world 
bathed  in  the  brilliant  moonlight  of  the  East. 
So,  parting  with  our  good  host  and  the  young 
man  who  had  accompanied  us  thither,  we  set 
out  again  upon  our  journey,  refreshed  in  body 
and  soul  by  the  hospitality  and  the  affectionate 
meeting  with  these  Bahai  brothers. 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLEE  81 

The  ancient  city  of  Khazvin  is  the  only  place 
of  importance  between  Resht  and  Teheran.  It 
being  one  of  the  principal  Bahai  centers  of  Per- 
sia, we  planned  to  tarry  there  in  order  to  meet 
the  Believers.  About  four  hours  from  the  city, 
we  stopped  at  a  post-khaneh  to  sleep  and  rest, 
for  we  knew  that  on  arrival  in  a  Bahai  commu- 
nity we  would  be  much  feted  and  have  little  op- 
portunity for  repose. 

As  soon  as  we  had  settled  ourselves  in  the/ 
inn,  the  sound  of  carriages  entering  the  court 
yard  announced  the  arrival  of  other  guests.  Sur- 
veying the  newcomers  from  a  window,  I  counted 
eight  men  as  they  descended  from  two  carriages. 
Suddenly  I  recognized  one  of  the  number,  a  cer- 
tain physician  of  Khazvin  with  whom  I  had  cor- 
responded and  whose  features  I  recalled  from 
having  seen  several  photographs  of  him.  These 
friends,  hearing  of  our  approach,  hastily  joined 
themselves  into  a  party,  coming  over  the  road  to 
meet  us.  The  greeting  was  a  hearty  one.  Our 
friends  had  not  come  empty  handed,  for,  as  soon 
as  the  first  salutations  were  over,  trays  of  de- 
licious fruits  were  produced,  tea  was  served,  and 
thus  we  spent  an  hour  or  more  in  conversation 
and  feasting. 


82  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

While  during  very  recent  years  the  Bahais 
have  been  comparatively  tranquil  in  Khazvin, 
nevertheless,  even  now,  great  care  has  to  be  ob- 
served and  every  precaution  is  taken  against  giv- 
ing people  the  slightest  ground  to  criticise  or 
make  trouble  for  the  Believers.  Accordingly, 
two  hours  before  dusk  we  all  set  out  for  the  city, 
entering  the  gates  under  cover  of  the  night. 
After  wending  our  way  through  many  narrow 
and  tortuous  streets,  some  lined  with  shops  and 
brilliantly  lighted,  others  flanked  by  high  walls 
and  dark,  we  found  ourselves  at  the  house  of  the 
Bahai  doctor. 

A  small,  low,  and  heavily-barred  doorway, 
piercing  a  massive  brick  wall,  formed  the  street 
entrance  to  the  house.  On  entering,  we  found 
ourselves  in  a  small  court-yard  lighted  by  many 
lamps,  about  which  were  placed  plants  and 
shrubs  in  tubs  and  pots.  Behind  this,  to  one 
side,  opened  a  large  court  containing  a  garden, 
while,  upon  the  other  side  was  the  entrance  to 
the  house.  Entering  the  latter,  and  halting  for 
a  few  moments  in  an  antechamber  to  remove 
the  dust  from  our  clothing  and  wash  our  hands 
and  faces  at  a  small  fountain  placed  there  for  the 
purpose,  we  were  taken  to  the  guest  room.    As 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLEE  83 

soon  as  we  arrived,  friends  began  to  call  in  small 
groups,  coming  and  going  until  dinner  was 
served,  which,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
place,  was  just  before  bed  time.  After  dinner 
we  went  to  our  room  and,  tired  by  travel  and  the 
social  events  of  the  day,  we  fell  asleep,  not  awak- 
ing until  the  sun  was  quite  high. 

To  the  Oriental,  all  hours  of  the  twenty-four 
are  the  same.  He  is  quite  as  apt  to  have  a  caller 
at  sunrise  as  at  sunset,  and  he  thinks  nothing  of 
starting  forth  on  a  cross-country  journey  at  one 
or  two  o'clock  in  the  night.  When  we  awoke 
about  eight  o'clock  the  morning  after  our  arrival 
in  Khazvin,  we  found  several  friends  assembled 
to  see  us,  while,  to  our  chagrin,  we  learned  that 
others  had  come  and,  not  able  to  remain,  had 
gone  while  we  slept.  As  in  other  places,  our 
stay  here  was  one  continuous  round  of  visits, 
something  being  planned  for  every  hour  of  the 
day.  On  our  first  afternoon  we  were  entertained 
at  tea  at  the  house  of  a  certain  Bahai  merchant. 
This  meeting  was  so  typically  Persian  and  pic- 
turesque in  its  setting,  that  I  must  give  a  brief 
description  of  it. 

Escorted  by  some  of  the  friends,  we  went 
through  narrow  streets   until  we  came  to   the 


84  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

house  of  the  merchant.  A  simple  doorway  in  a 
wall  of  sun-dried  and  burnt  bricks  opened  on  a 
flight  of  steps,  which  descended  to  the  level  of 
the  outer  court-yard  of  the  house.  Crossing  this 
court,  in  the  center  of  which  was  a  basin  of  wa- 
ter surrounded  by  flowers,  we  were  taken  by  an 
exterior  staircase  to  the  upper  floor  of  the  house, 
and  passing  through  an  antechamber,  we  entered 
the  room  where  the  friends  awaited  us. 

I  will  never  forget  the  first  impression  of  this 
meeting.  Imagine  a  large  room  with  a  low  pan- 
eled ceiling,  a  long  table  a  mass  of  color  with 
its  fruits  and  viands,  while  the  air  was  filled  with 
a  fragrance  of  flowers  placed  about  in  profusion, 
broad  open  windows,  the  transoms  of  which  were 
filled  with  intricate  fretwork  and  colored  glass, 
looking  down  upon  a  series  of  gardens  that 
stretched  off  toward  the  country,  with  a  back- 
ground of  distant  mountains;  then,  in  the  midst 
of  this  beautiful  and  harmonious  scene,  forty  or 
more  Bahais  seated  about  the  room  in  their 
many  colored  robes — it  was  a  picture  never  to 
be  forgotten. 

Men  of  all  ages  were  there.  Some  who,  after 
many  years  of  hardship  and  service  in  the  cause, 
were  entering  into  the  evening  of  this  life,  while 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLEB  85 

others,  young  and  in  full  vigor  of  manhood,  were 
in  the  prime  of  their  time  of  service.  I  well  re- 
member two — father  and  son — the  older  man, 
blind  and  feeble  in  body,  yet  with  a  keen  mind 
and  an  enthusiastic  soul,  while  his  son,  strong  in 
body,  was  eyes  and  limbs  for  his  father.  Thus 
they  had  traveled  together  and  taught  in  many 
towns  and  provinces  and  were  at  that  time  teach- 
ing in  Khazvin. 

We  were  given  seats  at  the  head  of  the  table 
and  after  the  usual  service  of  chanting,  feasting 
commenced  with  an  interchange  of  ideas  and 
items  of  Bahai  interest,  both  occidental  and 
oriental.  After  the  feast  we  took  a  stroll  through 
the  garden,  and  at  dusk,  bidding  adieu  to  our 
host  and  his  guests  we  returned  to  the  house  of 
the  good  hakim  (physician). 

Even  in  the  earliest  days  of  the  holy  cause 
Khazvin  was  an  important  center.  Kurratu'l- 
Ayn,  to  whom  The  Bab  gave  the  title  Jenab-i- 
Tahira  (Her  Highness,  the  Most  Pure),  was  of 
Khazvin.  Her  fame  as  a  poetess,  as  a  heroine 
and  a  servant  in  the  days  of  The  Bab,  and  as  a 
martyr  in  the  cause,  is  well  known  amongst  the 
Bahai  friends.    It  is  in  the  garden  of  her  house 


86  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

in  Khazvin  that  in  recent  years  the  Believers 
have  constructed  a  Mashrak-el-Azcar. 

One  evening  at  dusk  we  were  conducted  thith- 
er. Following  one  of  our  friends,  we  were  soon 
lost  in  the  lab5^rinth  of  streets  of  the  old  part  of 
the  city.  Going  through  the  ancient  bazaars, 
with  their  high  vaulted  roofs,  dimly  lighted  here 
and  there  by  lanterns,  one  could  easily  imagine 
himself  in  a  great  subterranean  world.  Care- 
fully we  picked  our  way  along,  fearful  of  drop- 
ping into  an  open  cistern  or  water-way — quite 
possible  in  such  places — until  we  at  last  de- 
scended from  the  street  into  the  ancient  court- 
yard of  the  home  of  Kurratu*l-'Ayn.  From  here 
we  were  taken  into  the  garden,  at  the  farthest 
end  of  which  stood  the  Mashrak-el-Azcar.  Here, 
under  the  portico,  many  friends  were  grouped  to 
meet  us.  Then  we  entered  the  building,  where 
the  usual  entertainment  of  chanting  and  a  colla- 
tion was  offered  us. 

Within  the  precincts  of  the  temple  lived  a  very 
old  believer — one  of  the  original  followers  of 
The  Bab — who  entertained  us  by  recounting 
many  interesting  incidents  connected  with  the 
early  days  of  the  movement  and  with  the  life  of 
Kurratu'l-'Ayn.    On  leaving  the  Mashrak-el-Az- 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  87 

car,  we  found  the  garden  had  been  illuminated 
by  lamps,  placed  about  the  fountains  and  along 
the  walks.  Passing  along  an  alley  of  trees  and 
shrubs,  which  led  toward  the  ancient  dwelling, 
we  saw  in  the  distance  the  veiled  figure  of  d 
woman  standing  in  the  doorway,  lights  on  either 
side  of  the  portal  making  her  clearly  visible  in 
contrast  with  the  surrounding  darkness.  This 
was  the  daughter  of  our  venerable  host,  the 
teacher  who  lived  here,  and  she  awaited  us  with 
a  word  of  salutation  and  greeting.  As  she  spoke 
she  parted  slightly  her  chador  or  veil.  We, 
in  turn,  gave  her  the  greetings  of  the  maid  ser- 
vants of  the  Bahai  assemblies  of  the  West,  ask- 
ing her  to  convey  the  same  to  the  women  Bahais 
of  Khazvin.  Then,  taking  leave  of  the  Believers, 
we  ascended  to  the  street  and,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  several  friends  provided  with  lanterns, 
we  returned  to  the  house  of  the  hospitable  doctor. 


In  contrast  with  this  meeting  in  the  Mashrak- 
el-Azcar,  I  will  describe  a  visit  we  made  the  fol- 
lowing morning  to  one  of  the  government  pris- 
ons. A  party  of  us,  after  walking  through  a 
most  beautiful  public  garden   laid  off  with  ave- 


88  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

nues  of  stately  cypress  trees,  stopped  before 
some  government  buildings  used  to  house  a  gar- 
rison. Near  by  was  the  city  prison  and,  as  we 
stood,  there  proceeded  from  the  open  doorway  a 
procession  of  twelve  or  fifteen  prisoners.  They 
were  marching  in  single  file,  each  with  a  heavy 
iron  collar  about  his  neck,  by  which  he  was  at- 
tached to  a  long  chain  which  clanked  dolefully 
as  the  line  moved  slowly  across  the  court-yard. 

When  near  us  the  prisoners  halted  long 
enough  for  us  to  give  them  some  coins  for  food. 
They  began  telling  us  their  various  stories.  One 
had  been  imprisoned  for  stealing,  another  for 
murder,  and  so  it  ran.  Later  on  we  went  into 
the  dungeon,  where  other  prisoners  were  chained 
by  the  neck  to  a  series  of  irons  in  the  floor,  which 
kept  them  lying  at  full  length.  I  go  into  these 
painful  details  to  give  an  idea  of  a  Persian  pris- 
on, for  in  these  prisons  many  Bahais  have  lan- 
guished and  from  them  gone  forth  to  martyr- 
dom. 


Shortly  before  sunset  one  evening  we  set  out 
for  Teheran.  Several  carriages  conveyed  a  party 
of  us  to  a  certain  caravanserai,  an  hour  or  more 


< 

w 


l-H 

a 


fa 
o 

p 
o 
Pi 

o 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  89 

distant  from  the  city,  where  we  all  alighted  for 
tea  and  to  bid  farewell  to  one  another.  One  of 
the  friends  in  Teheran,  being  notified  from  Resht 
of  our  approach  to  the  capital,  had  sent  a  trusted 
household  servant  to  meet  us  on  the  way  and 
render  us  any  possible  service.  This  man  joined 
us  in  Khazvin,  and  though  we  had  no  special 
need  of  him  he  journeyed  onward  with  us. 

It  was  between  twelve  and  one  o'clock  that 
night  when  we  made  our  first  stop  at  the  house 
of  a  hitherto  unknown  friend.  V/e  were  greeted 
with  the  usual  hospitality,  to  which  by  this  time 
we  had  become  so  accustomed  that  we  had  al- 
most ceased  to  wonder  at  it.  It  was  thought 
best  to  remain  here  for  two  or  three  hours  for 
rest  before  continuing  the  journey.  So,  after 
supper  had  been  served,  we  were  shown  to  a 
room  where,  removing  our  outer  clothing,  we 
laid  ourselves  down  on  divans,  expecting  to  get 
a  little  sleep. 

My  friend  was  remarking  that  Bahai  condi- 
tions in  Persia  were  hardly  what  he  had  an- 
ticipated, for  here  we  were  traveling  onward  to 
the  capital  without  difficulty,  when  only  a  few 
years  previous  Bahai  blood  had  flowed  in  the 
very  places  through  which  we  were  passing.    He 


90  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

had  scarcely  finished  speaking  when,  from  the 
court-yard  below  our  windows,  we  heard  a  mur- 
mur of  voices  which  grew  in  intensity  until  it 
became  a  chorus  of  loud  harangues.  Though  I 
knew  only  a  few  words  of  Persian,  I  understood 
from  these  few  and  from  the  angry  tones,  that 
some  people  were  cursing  the  Bahai  Cause  and 
its  adherents  and  particularly  our  host,  whose 
voice  we  could  distinguish  from  time  to  time  ex- 
postulating with  the  crowd.  After  a  few  mo- 
ments he  came  to  our  door  to  express  his  regret 
at  the  occurrence  and  to  assure  us  that  all  was 
well  and  that  there  was  no  prospect  of  violence. 
Again,  shortly,  we  heard  his  voice  outside  and 
the  din  subsided,  though  for  an  hour  or  more 
there  were  spasmodic  outbursts  of  rage  coming 
from  various  directions  out  of  the  darkness. 

It  seems  that  a  company  of  soldiers  was  trav- 
eling that  way  and  instead  of  quartering  them- 
selves, as  was  usual,  in  the  caravanserai,  which 
was  near,  they  preferred  the  shelter  of  the  yard 
and  garden  of  our  friend,  where,  against  his  pro- 
tests, they  proceeded  to  install  themselves.  At 
this  juncture  we  arrived,  and  under  the  light  of 
the  portico  of  the  house  they  saw  him  greet  us. 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  91 

Some  of  the  soldiers  knew  that  he  was  a  Bahai, 
and  this  fact,  together  with  our  hospitable  recep- 
tion, gave  sufficient  grounds  for  such  a  demon- 
stration. Between  three  and  four  o'clock  in  the 
morning  we  took  our  leave.  By  this  time  all  had 
quieted  down  and  the  agitators,  rolled  in  their 
blankets,  were  sleeping  on  the  pavement  of  the 
court,  while  a  chorus  of  snores  was  all  that  broke 
the  peace  and  harmony  of  the  night. 

The  road  from  Khazvin  to  Teheran  traverses 
desolate  tracts  of  arid  land,  intersected  at  long 
intervals  by  streams,  the  banks  of  which  are 
flanked  by  gardens.  In  the  desert  the  presence 
of  water  gives  rise  to  the  most  luxuriant  vegeta- 
tion, but  when  absent,  the  bleaching  bones  of 
beasts  of  burden  strewing  the  highways,  with 
here  and  there  a  great  hungry  looking  vulture, 
accentuate  the  contrast  between  garden  and 
desert  and  life  and  death.  This  same  condition 
we  sensed  in  the  soul  life  of  the  people  whom 
we  met.  Entering  various  Bahai  houses  along 
the  route,  a  meal  here  and  a  glass  of  tea  there, 
we  were  quickened  by  the  kindness  and  devotion 
of  these  friends.  They  outwardly  manifested 
the  life  of  the  indwelling  spirit  of  their  faith.    On 


92  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

the  other  hand,  we  were  constantly  reminded  of 
the  fanaticism  and  spiritual  darkness  of  the  many 
whom  we  passed  on  the  highways — men  of  vari- 
ous religions  and  castes,  who  considered  us  and 
all,  save  those  of  their  own  cult,  as  unclean  dogs. 
Surely,  if  possible,  their  stare  would  have  killed, 
but,  as  it  was,  it  was  only  painful.  There  is  no 
fanaticism  so  intense  as  that  encountered  in  the 
Orient. 

One  of  the  prophecies  relative  to  this  day  is 
that  "the  desert  shall  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the 
rose."  Indeed  we  saw  the  fulfillment  of  this 
marvelous  verse,  for  many  of  the  people  who 
were  kindest  to  us  had,  only  a  comparatively 
short  time  before,  been  as  desert  land  untouched 
by  the  spirit.  Of  one  man,  particularly  kind  to 
us,  we  asked  how  long  he  had  been  a  Bahai, 
thinking  that  he  had  acquired  his  illumination 
through  years  of  service.  To  our  question  he  re- 
plied: "Thirty-one  days,"  speaking  as  if  it  had 
been  a  lifetime  in  itself  and,  verily,  so  it  had, 
for  he  had  been  born  again.  As  in  the  desert  the 
presence  of  water  gives  rise  to  most  luxuriant 
vegetation,  so  it  is  in  the  desert  of  men's  souls, 
when  the  life-giving  water  of  the  spirit  of  God 
enters  it  gives  rise  to  the  fruits  of  the  kingdom. 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  93 

While  crossing  a  parched  plain  four  or  five 
hours  from  Teheran,  our  carriage  broke  down. 
After  some  little  difficulty  the  damage  was  suf- 
ficiently repaired  to  allow  us  to  proceed  at  a 
moderate  pace  for  a  mile  or  more,  until  we  ar- 
rived at  a  post-khaneh  kept  by  a  friend,  who, 
when  we  explained  that  we  would  be  obliged  to 
remain  there  for  several  hours  for  repairs,  quite 
frankly  showed  his  delight  at  the  prospect  of  a 
visit.  This  man  was  from  Esphahan,  where  our 
people  have  suffered  much  at  the  hands  of  the 
fanatical  Moslems,  as  well  as  by  the  oppression 
of  unscrupulous  rulers. 

In  speaking  of  the  Bahais  in  Persia,  and  their 
relations  with  those  in  the  West,  this  believer^ 
struck  the  keynote  when  he  said  that  in  his 
country  the  Bahais  had  suffered  such  long  and 
strenuous  persecution  and  trouble,  that  they  had 
become  tired  and  heartsick,  and  needed  the  as- 
sociation and  moral  support  of  the  friends  of 
the  West.  How  often  we  thought  of  the  reverse 
conditions  existing  in  the  West,  where  we  are 
in  need  of  this  spirit,  which  the  Oriental  Bahais 
have  received  through  suffering.  The  West 
needs  what  the  East  has  to  give  and  the  East 
needs  what  the  West  has  to  give  it.     This  in- 


94  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

terchange  can  take  place  only  as  the  two  come 
together  in  love  and  harmony.  In  the  past  Oc- 
cidentals have  gone  to  the  Orient  and  Orientals 
to  the  Occident,  but  because  of  an  absence  of 
basic  unity- — religious  unity — no  lasting  good 
has  come  to  either.  Now  how  different  is  this 
when,  in  the  Bahai  Cause,  Easterners  go  West 
and  Westerners  go  East,  meeting  on  the  com- 
mon ground  of  faith,  for  then  each  returns  to  his 
own  country  and  people  refreshed  in  soul  and 
buoyant  with  a  force  and  knowledge  which  help 
him  to  face  his  problems  and  demonstrate  to  him 
the  conquering  power  of  spiritual  oneness,  the 
mission  of  the  Bahai  Cause. 


Taking  leave  of  this  friend  from  Esphahan,  we 
proceeded  eastward  toward  Teheran.  About 
two  hours  before  sunset  we  sighted  the  domes 
and  minarets  of  the  capital,  rich  in  color,  rising 
from  the  floor  of  the  plain  against  a  background 
of  the  snow-clad  Elburz.  As  we  neared  the  city 
we  saw  ahead  several  carriages  driving  rapidly 
toward  us.  These  were  at  first  distinguishable 
only  by  the  clouds  of  dust  which  enveloped  them. 
Then,  as  they  drew  quite  near  to  us,  we  distin- 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  95 

guished  the  occupants  eagerly  looking  out  ahead. 
Instinctively  we  knew  these  to  be  friends,  and, 
almost  before  the  drivers  could  rein  in  the  horses 
they  had  descended  and  surrounded  our  carriage. 

After  an  affectionate  welcome,  we  found  our- 
selves laden  with  flowers  which  these  friends 
had  brought  to  us.  To  the  traveler  of  the  desert 
nothing  is  more  refreshing  than  to  bury  his  face 
in  fragrant  flowers.  After  traveling  for  hours 
in  clouds  of  dust  under  a  parching  sun,  without 
a  vestige  of  vegetation,  he  really  appreciates 
vegetable  life  and  the  fragrance  of  the  flowers 
when  finally  he  finds  himself  within  the  enclos- 
ure of  a  garden.  So  it  is  with  us,  spiritually, 
we  meet  souls  who  are  alive  in  the  Lord;  their 
presence  is  an  oasis  in  the  desert  of  the  world 
and  contact  with  them  is  soul  refreshing  and  in- 
vigorating. Thus  we  found  the  flowers,  brought 
us,  symbolic  of  the  spiritual  aspect  of  our  meet- 
ing with  the  Teheran  friends. 

Before  reaching  the  city  gates,  we  halted  be- 
fore the  entrance  of  a  large  and  beautiful  garden, 
where  we  were  met  by  more  friends.  Entering 
the  garden  and  passing  along  beside  waterways 
and  avenues  of  trees  and  shrubs,  we  came  to  an 


96  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

open  summer  pavilion,  where  tea  and  other  re- 
freshments were  served  us. 

After  the  sacred  chants,  which  characterize  all 
reunions  of  our  people  in  the  East,  we  conversed 
for  a  time,  delivering  messages  and  letters 
brought  with  us  from  friends  in  other  places,  as 
well  as  giving  accounts  of  the  work  in  the  West. 
Shortly  before  sunset  the  party  entered  the  city, 
several  of  the  friends  accompanying  us  to  the 
quarters  where  it  had  been  arranged  that  we 
should  be  installed. 

As  I  have  already  stated,  just  before  our  en- 
tering on  Persian  soil,  there  had  been  revolution 
and  bloodshed  in  Teheran.  By  the  time,  how- 
ever, that  we  reached  the  capital  all  was  tran- 
quil. Had  it  not  been  for  the  ruins  and  the 
debris  of  the  buildings,  lately  cannonaded,  there 
would  have  been  no  visible  traces  of  the  recent 
troubles.  In  fact,  we  found  the  Bahais  there  in 
the  utmost  peace  and  happiness.  As  they  had 
taken  no  part  in  the  political  troubles  of  the  day 
they  were  in  the  good  esteem  and  respect  of  the 
government,  and  now  were  enjoying  unusual 
privileges.  On  account  of  the  revolution  no 
gatherings  of  any  nature  were  allowed  by  the 
police,  yet  upon  several  occasions  the  Bahais  ob- 


A  BAHAI  TKAVELLER  97 

tained  permission  to  hold  meetings  numbering 
as  many  as  four  hundred  and  more  souls.  Sev- 
eral of  the  Bahais  had  been  appointed  to  high 
governmental  positions  and  a  general  spirit  of 
assurance  and  safety  characterized  the  assembly, 
which  was  quite  different  from  anything  hither- 
to known  there  in  the  history  of  the  cause.  Now 
many  of  the  friends  in  Teheran  are  known  as 
Bahais  and  it  does  not  seem  to  embarrass  them, 
whereas  not  many  years  ago  it  would  have 
meant  death.  This  freedom  in  the  capital  be- 
speaks rapid  progress  in  the  cause  throughout 
the  country  in  the  near  future,  because,  being 
the  life  and  center  of  all  things  in  Persia,  the  in- 
fluence of  Teheran  is  widely  felt  throughout  the 
various  cities  and  provinces. 

I  will  not  attempt  to  give  a  detailed  descrip- 
tion of  the  series  of  breakfasts,  excursions,  recep- 
tions and  dinners  which  we  attended  in  Teheran, 
but  I  will  make  mention  of  a  few  meetings  and 
entertainments  which  were  typical  of  the  many 
accorded  us.  Fortunately  a  most  tranquil  spirit 
of  repose  characterizes  Bahai  entertainments  in 
the  East,  otherwise  we  had  not  been  able  to  keep 
up  the  round  as  we  did,  day  and  night,  from 
week  to  week.    While  the  spiritual  feature  of  all 


98  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

meetings  was  the  more  important,  nevertheless 
one's  material  wants  were  never  disregarded, 
and  every  possible  thing  was  done  for  our  bodily 
comfort.  The  social  events  of  the  day  usually 
began  at  sunrise  when  tea  was  served,  after 
which  visits  were  usually  received  until  nine  or 
ten  o'clock,  when  we  would  start  forth  to  the 
house  where  we  happened  to  be  lunching  that 
day,  or  on  some  excursion  about  the  city.  Lunch 
was  usually  served  at  noon  and  was  followed  by 
a  nap,  from  which  we  would  be  aroused  for  tea 
before  going  to  a  late  afternoon  gathering  of 
Believers,  invariably  held  in  some  garden — few 
if  any  houses  being  large  enough  to  accommo- 
date these  large  afternoon  reunions.  The  even- 
ings were  always  spent  at  the  house  of  some 
friend  where  we  dined,  the  dinner  being  served 
about  ten  o'clock. 

During  my  stay  in  Teheran,  because  of  po- 
Itical  agitations,  there  was  fear  of  an  uprising  of 
the  people,  so  no  one  was  allowed  to  circulate  in 
the  streets  after  eleven  o'clock  at  night  without 
a  special  permit.  Several  times  we  had  this  per- 
mission through  the  kind  efforts  of  friends,  but 
on  various  other  occasions  we  spent  the  night  at 
the  house  where  we  dined,  sleeping  usually  out 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  99 

of  doors  as  is  the  summer  custom  of  the  Per- 
sians. 

At  the  home  of  one  of  the  friends  of  the  cause 
there  was  a  subterranean  bath  built  for  the  most 
part  below  the  level  of  a  garden.  This  was  placed 
at  our  disposal  during  our  sojourn  there.  A 
flight  of  steps  led  from  the  ground  level  down  to 
the  vaulted  chambers  of  the  bath,  which  were 
floored  with  slabs  of  marble,  while  the  walls,  up 
to  a  certain  height,  were  set  with  rare  old  tiles. 
The  bath  in  the  East  is  quite  a  lengthy  process 
with  its  hot  and  cold  water  douches  and  massag- 
ing, and  it  is  invariably  followed  by  refresh- 
ments, conversation  and  a  nap.  After  bathing 
here  the  morning  following  our  arrival  in  Te- 
heran, we  went  into  a  neighboring  garden,  where 
a  number  of  our  friends  awaited  us,  and  where 
we  were  refreshed  with  sherbet. 

One  of  our  good  brothers,  an  Israelite  just 
graduated  in  medicine,  was  delegated  by  the  as- 
sembly to  serve  us  as  guide,  to  make  out  a 
schedule  of  meetings  and  entertainments,  and  to 
see  that  we  arrived  at  the  appointed  places  at  the 
scheduled  times.  I  will  never  cease  to  marvel 
at  the  devotion  and  unselfish  service  of  this 
young  man.    He  was  with  us  practically  all  the 


100  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

time  doing  everything  in  his  power  to  make 
things  as  agreeable  and  as  comfortable  as  possi- 
ble. Had  I  traveled  to  Teheran  to  meet  him 
only,  I  should  have  considered  my  time  well 
spent  and  a  valuable  lesson  learned.  Lessons  in 
brotherly  devotion  one  can  see  exemplified  in 
the  lives  of  these  eastern  brothers,  for  they  have 
suffered  for  the  cause  until  friendship  and  devo- 
tion have  become  dominant  characteristics. 

Among  the  many  who  entertained  us  were 
two  young  men,  sons  of  the  noted  Bahai  teacher 
and  poet,  Vargha  who,  together  with  another 
son  of  but  twelve  years,  Ruollah,  suffered  a  mar- 
tyr's death  during  one  of  the  later  persecutions 
in  Teheran.  For  several  years  the  bodies  of  these 
martyrs  lay  in  a  common  grave,  where  they  had 
been  flung  by  their  executioners.  After  matters 
had  become  more  tranquil  for  the  Bahais  their 
remains  were  removed  in  the  night  and  with  the 
greatest  difficulty,  and  given  a  befitting  entomb- 
ment. 

When  we  were  told  of  this  matter,  we  asked 
that  we  might  visit  the  tomb  of  these  two  mar- 
tyrs. Consequently,  the  following  morning  the 
younger  son  came  and  escorted  us  thither.  In 
the  center  of  a  beautiful  garden,  at  some  little 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLEE  101 

distance  from  the  city,  stood  the  mausoleum.  It 
consisted  of  a  nine-sided  chamber,  about  twenty- 
five  feet  in  diameter,  enclosed  by  massive  walls. 
Beneath  the  floor  were  the  two  tombs.  The 
building  was  surrounded  by  a  portico  and  colon- 
nade. Three  flights  of  steps  ascended  from  the 
ground  to  the  floor  of  the  portico,  while  three 
doors  gave  access  to  the  interior.  Nine  avenues 
diverged  from  the  building  to  various  parts  of 
the  garden,  while  canals  of  water  intersected  it 
in  various  directions. 

Entering  the  mausoleum,  our  friend  chanted 
a  tablet  and  prayer  written  by  Abdul-Baha  spec- 
ially to  be  read  when  the  Bahais  gather  here. 
The  chanting  over,  we  remained  for  a  few  mo- 
ments in  silent  prayer  before  withdrawing  to 
the  garden.  I  wish  I  might  adequately  describe 
the  impression  produced  by  the  visit  to  this 
shrine.  We  were  in  a  way  brought  closer  than 
before  to  the  sufferings  and  heroic  sacrifices  of 
the  Persian  Bahais,  through  which  the  holy 
cause  grew  and  expanded  until  now  it  encircles 
the  earth.  We  in  the  West  little  realize  the  debt 
of  gratitude  we  owe  to  the  East  for  the  holy 
teaching  which  now  is  given  to  us  so  freely,  and 
which  we  accept  while  seated  at  our  ease,  for  it 


102  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

came  to  us  only  after  it  had  attained  its  growth 
in  the  Orient  under  the  fire  of  the  most  savage 
persecution. 

The  spirit  of  the  friends  who  suffered  so  in 
Persia  is  indeed  inspiration  and  food  for  the  soul. 
During  the  return  drive  to  the  city,  our  young 
friend  spoke  of  the  martyrdom  of  his  father  and 
brother  and  told  us  that  often  as  he  walked  the 
streets  he  passed  the  man  who  killed  them,  yet, 
so  happy  is  he  that  they  were  permitted  to  serve 
the  religion  by  dying  for  it,  and  so  strong  in  his 
own  faith,  there  is  no  room  left  in  his  soul  for 
harboring  enmity  for  those  through  whom  his 
troubles  came. 

I  mention  this  one  specific  case,  which  was 
but  one  of  many.  On  all  sides  we  heard  of  the 
troubles  and  persecutions  of  our  people,  but  not 
once  did  we  hear  so  much  as  a  suggestion  o£ 
anything  which  savored  of  antagonism  or  hatred 
toward  the  persecutors.  This  and  the  unity  and 
solidarity  of  the  Persian  Bahais  impressed  me 
more  than  all  else  in  Persia.  The  strength  of  a 
chain  is  measured  by  the  strength  of  its  individ- 
ual links.  And  this  is  likewise  true  in  the  assem- 
bly of  Believers.    The  work  accomplished  by  the 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  103 

body  is  in  proportion  to  the  strength  and  stead- 
fastness of  its  individual  members. 

Since  returning  to  America,  many  people  have 
asked  me  aboiit  the  condition  of  Bahai  women  in 
Persia.  Compared  with  our  acquaintance  with 
men,  our  acquaintance  with  the  women  was  but 
slight;  nevertheless,  from  seeing  even  a  few 
women  and  by  talking  with  many  men  upon  the 
subject,  we  were  able  to  form  at  least  an  idea  of 
existing  conditions. 

In  Persia,  as  in  most  Oriental  countries,  the 
conventions  of  society  demand  the  seclusion  of 
women.  Through  the  influence  of  the  Bahai 
teachings,  we  found  our  people  to  be  quite  rid  of 
that  mental  attitude  so  generally  held  in  the 
Orient — that  woman  is  in  every  way  man's  in- 
ferior and  should  be  his  slave.  The  Bahais  in 
Persia  are  doing  all  in  their  power  for  the  edu- 
cation and  training  of  women.  In  a  recent  tab- 
let from  Abdul-Baha,  regarding  education,  he 
writes  of  the  necessity  of  the  education  of  boys 
and  then  goes  on  to  demonstrate  how  much  more 
necessary  it  is  that  girls  should  be  educated  and 
trained,  because  they — the  girls — are  to  be  the 
mothers  and  the  educators  and  trainers  of  the 
coming  generation.    The  attitude  of  the  Bahais 


104  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

in  Persia  toward  women  is  quite  that  held  by 
most  enlightened  people  in  the  West,  but  on 
account  of  existing  social  conditions  and  the  per- 
secution of  our  people,  they  are  not  yet  able  to 
carry  out  their  ideas  and  aspirations. 

Even  after  visiting  Persia  it  is  almost  impos- 
sible to  comprehend  the  hatred  of  the  people 
toward  the  Bahais.  Fanatical  by  nature  and 
creed-bound,  the  Moslem  hates  everything  out- 
side of  his  own  realm  of  thought,  and  when  he 
sees  his  own  people  adopting  new  ideas  his  wrath 
is  often  uncontrollable  and  he  goes  forth  to  kill. 
By  this  reign  of  ignorance  some  of  the  difficul- 
ties under  which  the  Bahai  reformers  are  work- 
ing can  be  imagined.  In  the  early  days  of  the 
movement,  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  newly 
awakened  souls,  the  Believers  sought  with  fer- 
vor to  bring  about  quick  changes  in  Persia.  They 
taught  unguardedly  and  raised  so  much  antag- 
onism that  the  cause  was  all  but  exterminated 
by  the  massacres  which  ensued.  Such  troubles 
characterized  the  days  of  The  First  Point — 
The  Bab — and  also  the  beginning  of  the  minis- 
try of  Baha'o'llah.  However,  under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  latter  the  Bahais  learned  to  be  cau- 
tious and  careful  in  their  religious  work  until 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  105 

now,  avoiding  disagreement  and  friction  with 
the  opposers,  they  are  peacefully  and  steadily 
working  and  changing  ignorance  into  knowledge 
and  hatred  into  love. 

Under  these  improving  conditions  the  women 
are  naturally  becoming  more  and  more,  as  we 
term  it  in  the  West,  "emancipated."  The  work 
is  difficult  and  slow,  but  it  is  being  accomplished, 
and  here  is  an  open  door  to  us  Bahais  of  the 
West,  a  practical  way  of  service,  for  through  our 
co-operation  our  brothers  and  sisters  in  the 
East  will  be  helped  and  encouraged,  and  through 
unity  with  us  they  will  learn  many  things.  On 
the  other  hand,  we  will  ourselves  receive  more 
abundantly  than  we  give.  The  East  has  much 
to  give  to  the  West,  as  well  as  the  West  has 
much  to  give  to  the  East.  This  interchange  will 
take  place  as  the  two  come  together  in  spiritual 
unity  and  in  practical  service  one  to  the  other. 

In  Persia  one  meets  people  who,  after  long  or 
brief  sojourns  in  western  Europe,  have  accumu- 
lated certain  western  ideas,  which  they  have 
mingled  with  those  of  Persian  origin,  producing 
a  mixture  neither  one  thing  nor  the  other, 
occidental  nor  oriental — ideas  which  are  not  ap- 
plicable to  conditions  in  Persia,  because  they  are 


106  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

the  products  of  a  foreign  civilization  evolved  un- 
der foreign  conditions. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  characters  we  met 
in  Persia  was  a  certain  khanum  (lady)  of  Te- 
heran, a  woman  of  ability  as  a  leader  of  women. 
For  some  time  past  she  had  been  working  as- 
siduously for  the  spread  of  the  Bahai  cause 
among  women,  and  for  the  education  and  gen- 
eral uplifting  of  her  sex. 

What  was  most  interesting  in  the  working  of 
the  Bahai  movement  in  Persia  was  that  it  was 
solving  present-day  problems  in  the  only  prac- 
tical way,  namely,  by  working  from  within  out — 
by  quickening  the  soul,  from  which  is  begotten 
the  desire  for  knowledge  and  its  accompanying 
advantages. 

This  was  exemplified  in  the  work  of  the  kha- 
num whom  I  have  mentioned.  She  was  an  en- 
lightened soul,  holding  advanced  ideas,  not 
gleaned  from  foreign  sources,  but  evolved 
through  personal  work  and  service.  She  was 
wholly  a  product  of  Persia  and  was,  therefore, 
able  to  understand  and  to  minister  unto  the 
needs  of  those  among  whom  she  labored. 

I  must  describe  a  meeting  which  we  attended 
at  the  house  of  the  khanum  mentioned,  since  it 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLEE  107 

gave  us  a  glimpse  of  oriental  life  and  conditions 
hitherto  not  seen.  Our  hostess  had  for  some 
time  past  discarded  her  veil  and  with  her  hus- 
band received  men  in  her  house  and  garden,  yet 
she  was  obliged,  as  she  explained  to  us,  to  veil 
in  the  streets  on  acount  of  attracting  too  much 
attention.  On  this  particular  afternoon  she  was 
holding  two  receptions  at  once.  Twenty  or 
more  of  us  men  were  in  one  room,  while  in  an 
adjoining  room,  separated  from  us  by  a  curtain, 
was  a  party  of  twelve  or  fifteen  ladies,  our 
hostess  slipping  quietly  from  one  room  to  the 
other,  serving  and  entertaining  her  guests. 

After  the  chanting  of  tablets,  my  companion 
and  I  were  asked  to  tell  the  ladies  in  the  next 
room  something  about  their  sisters  in  the  West, 
which  we  did  to  the  best  of  our  ability,  he  speak- 
ing in  Persian  while  my  words  were  translated 
and  spoken  through  the  curtain  to  the  listeners 
on  the  other  side.  Our  hostess,  it  seemed,  had 
hoped  that  the  women  in  the  next  room  would 
on  that  day  follow  her  example  and  unveil.  As 
we  spoke  of  the  freedom  and  independence  and 
higher  education  of  woman  in  the  West,  the  kha- 
num  became  more  and  more  enthusiastic  until, 
finally,  she  went  toward  the  doorway  and  draw- 


108  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

ing  the  curtain  began  speaking  very  earnestly 
to  the  people  in  the  next  room.  I  could  not  un- 
derstand her  words  but  so  stirring  was  the  tone 
of  her  voice  that  I  caught  the  spirit  of  what  she 
was  saying.  She  was  calling  to  her  sisters  to 
come  forth  and  lift  their  veils,  saying  that  it  was 
a  rare  opportunity  to  do  so  then,  since  we  from 
the  West  were  there,  who  were  accustomed  to 
seeing  women's  faces.  At  the  expiration  of  sev- 
eral minutes  her  words  had  the  desired  effect, 
for  the  women  arose  and  drawing  aside  their 
veils  with  one  accord,  entered  the  room. 

The  men  made  place  for  the  ladies  by  retreat- 
ing to  the  other  side  of  the  room,  while  the  new- 
comers found  seats.  When  the  women  had 
arisen  to  the  situation,  they  were  quite  equal  to 
it.  Curious  as  this  may  seem  to  one  accustomed 
to  western  conventionalities,  it  showed  that 
these  women  were  awake  to  the  advantages  of 
the  western  women  as  well  as  to  their  own  dis- 
advantage. I  was  particularly  impressed  by  the 
possibilities  for  work  among  the  women  of  Per- 
sia by  the  Bahai  women  of  the  West.  The 
eagerness  with  which  these  women  listened  to 
our  account  of  western  life  in  itself  showed  that 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLEE  109 

the  time  was  ripe  and  that  they  were  anxious 
and  waiting  to  be  taught. 

As  we  were  leaving  the  house,  the  khanum 
took  from  her  neck  an  interesting  necklace  of 
mother  of  pearl  and  silver,  a  gift  to  her  from  a 
princess  of  the  royal  household,  and  handed  it 
to  me,  saying  that  it  was  for  the  Bahai  women 
in  America,  and  with  it  went  the  love  and  greet- 
ing of  the  Bahai  maid-servants  in  Teheran.  On 
my  return  to  America,  I  entrusted  this  souvenir 
to  the  care  of  Mrs.  Isabella  D.  Brittingham,  who 
has  already  organized  a  system  of  correspond- 
ence between  some  of  the  meetings  of  Bahai 
women  in  America  with  gatherings  of  women  in 
various  cities  in  Persia.  This  is  but  the  begin- 
ning of  a  great  work  for  the  women  of  our  west- 
ern assemblies  to  do  among  their  sisters  of  the 
East.  Through  correspondence  the  way  will  be 
opened  for  western  women  to  go  to  those  dis- 
tant parts  as  teachers,  nurses,  physicians,  and 
what  they  will  be  able  to  accomplish  cannot  be 
estimated. 


One  very  interesting  morning  was  spent  in 
visiting  one  of  the  leading  boys*  schools  in  Te- 
heran.   On  account  of  the  attitude  of  the  Mos- 


110  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

lems,  this  institution  is  not  known  generally  as 
a  Bahai  school.  However,  it  is  in  reality  in  the 
hands  of  the  Bahais.  From  the  directors  down 
through  the  teachers  and  students  the  majority 
were  of  our  faith.  We  were  taken  around 
through  the  various  class  rooms,  where  over 
two  hundred  boys  were  engaged  in  reciting  and 
study.  Before  starting  on  our  travels,  my  friend 
had  planned  to  remain  for  some  time  in  Teheran, 
so  he  was  very  much  pleased  when  told  that  they 
needed  a  teacher  of  English  in  this  school  and 
he  was  glad  to  undertake  the  work.  Shortly 
after  I  left  Teheran,  his  duties  as  teacher  there 
commenced.  I  understand  that  in  other  parts 
of  Persia  teachers  of  English  are  needed  among 
the  Bahais.  Undoubtedly,  in  the  near  future, 
the  way  will  be  open  for  Bahais  from  the  West 
to  go  to  the  East  to  fill  these  positions.  This  is 
a  good  field  for  work  in  the  cause,  since  the  peo- 
ple there  are  greatly  helped  and  strengthened  by 
intercourse  with  the  western  Bahais. 

One  Saturday  afternoon,  about  an  hour  before 
sunset,  we  were  conducted  through  the  bazaars 
to  the  Jewish  quarter  to  the  house  of  a  certain 
doctor,  where  a  hundred  and  more  of  Israelitish 
Bahais  were  gathered  to  welcome  us.     During 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  111 

the  walk  thither,  we  passed  a  place  of  Bahai  in- 
terest, namely,  the  house  where  Abdul-Eaha  was 
born  on  May  23,  1844,  the  same  day  upon  which 
The  Bab  declared  Himself.  At  the  end  of  a 
street  one  can  see  a  small  second-story  arcade, 
behind  which  is  the  room  in  which  our  great 
teacher  first  saw  the  light  of  this  world.  This 
house  was  not  open  to  us,  so  we  gazed  upon  it 
from  without  for  a  few  moments  and  then 
passed  on. 

Although  there  are  no  lines  of  distinction 
whatever  between  the  Bahais,  yet,  in  places 
where  persecution  exists,  those  previously  of  a 
like  faith  meet  together,  not  wishing  to  at- 
tract too  much  attention.  In  Teheran  there  are 
between  twenty  and  thirty  weekly  meetings  held 
in  various  quarters  of  the  city,  so  that  all  may 
easily  participate.  The  Jewish  meeting  which  I 
mention  was  composed  chiefly  of  Jewish  Be- 
lievers, but  there  were  also  present  Christians, 
Moslems  and  Zoroastrians.  In  Persia  there  is  a 
type  of  Jew  which  we  in  the  West  seldom  see. 
There  the  Jews  have  lived  in  their  communities 
for  centuries,  and  consequently  have  kept  their 
original  type  and  spirit  less  changed  than  those 
who    have    lived    for    generations    wandering 


112  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

amongst  the  various  nations  of  the  world.  Like 
their  orthodox  brethren  in  the  West,  the  Jews 
in  Persia  have  retained  their  ancient  faith  in  the 
fulfillment  of  the  prophecies  of  their  scriptures, 
and  they  look  for  the  Messiah  and  the  regenera- 
tion of  the  whole  world.  This  has  made  them 
particularly  open  to  the  Bahai  Message,  and  in 
places  there  are  whole  communities  of  them 
who  have  accepted  the  faith.  Hamadan  is  the 
chief  center  of  Jewish  Bahais  in  Persia.  Here 
they  have  their  own  schools  and  are  carrying  on 
other  active  and  progressive  works. 

At  the  Jewish  meeting  I  mentioned,  several 
of  the  older  men  in  long  robes  and  turbans 
spoke,  welcoming  us  and  expressing  their  joy  at 
uniting  spiritually  with  us  in  accepting  Baha- 
'o'llah  as  the  promised  latter-day  Messiah, 
through  whose  teaching  they  now  accept  the 
Christ  whom  their  forefathers  rejected.  This 
meeting  was  one  of  the  most  memorable  of  our 
travels.  The  reunion  over,  a  dinner  was  served, 
after  which  v/e  mounted  to  a  terraced  roof. 
Here  mats,  rugs,  cushions  and  bedding  had  been 
spread,  and  it  was  not  long  before  each  had  made 
himself  comfortable  for  the  night.  I  lay  awake 
for  some  time  looking  up  at  the  stars  and  think- 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLEE  113 

ing  of  the  significance  of  that  evening's  gather- 
ing. This  was  the  beginning  of  the  time  when 
all  peoples,  Jew  and  Gentile,  will  be  united  in 
His  kingdom. 

The  first  large  meeting  of  Bahais  v/hich  we 
attended  in  Teheran  was  a  Zoroastrain  or  Par- 
see  reunion.  This  was  held  in  a  garden  belong- 
ing to  a  friend  of  the  cause — a  garden  which  was 
the  most  beautiful  I  visited  while  in  Persia,  hav- 
ing artificial  lakes,  surrounded  and  separated  by 
forest  trees,  vistas  extending  off  toward  the 
north,  affording  views  of  the  distant  mountains 
highest  of  which  towered  Mount  Damovend 
with  its  mantle  of  snow  and  ice.  A  series  of 
avenues  and  walks  flanked  by  water-ways  and 
flower  beds,  formed  a  beautiful  setting  for  the 
two  palaces  and  several  pavilions  which  were  in 
the  midst  of  the  garden.  The  place  of  meeting 
was  under  the  broad  portico  of  the  smaller  of 
the  two  palaces,  which  was  originally  built  by 
the  unfortunate  Atabok-Azam  (who  died  by  the 
assassin's  hand).  Prime  Minister  to  the  late 
Mozaffer-Ed-Din-Shah.  The  pavement  of  the 
portico  was  carpeted  and  chairs  were  placed 
about  for  some  of  the  guests,  others  sitting  down 
Persian  fashion  on  the  rugs.    One  of  the  features 


114  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

of  the  meeting  was  the  chanting  of  an  original 
poem  of  welcome  to  us,  which  was  written  by 
one  of  the  friends — the  whole  assembly  joining 
in  the  refrain.  Several  of  the  friends  present 
spoke  to  us  regarding  the  Zoroastrain  prophe- 
cies which  were  fulfilled  in  the  coming  of  The 
Bab  and  Baha'o'llah,  and  explained  that  in  the 
Zoroastrian  teaching  the  final  unity  of  all  people 
was  taught  and  that  now  the  Zoroastrians  were 
accepting  the  Bahai  teaching  as  that  which  their 
people  had  long  hoped  to  realize — the  uniting  of 
all  men  in  the  brotherhood  of  the  kingdom 


On  another  like  occasion,  in  the  afternoon,  we 
met  in  another  garden,  where  a  large  number  of 
Moslem  Bahais  were  gathered  to  greet  us.  Be- 
cause of  the  crowd  all  could  not  be  accommo- 
dated in  any  one  place,  so  they  were  grouped  in 
various  parts  of  the  garden  thus  forming  several 
centers.  As  the  twilight  fell,  lamps  were  placed 
about  the  fountains  and  along  the  walks,  and 
then  the  chanting  began.  We  sat  near  a  basin 
of  water  about  which  were  grouped  many  men, 
soldiers  from  the  Shah's  cossaque  guard,  in  their 
red  uniforms,  while  their  officers  wore  blue,  to- 
gether with  men  wearing  robes  of    many   and 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  115 

varied  colors.  These  and  the  lights  with  their 
reflection  in  the  water,  the  natural  beauty  of  the 
place,  the  distant  strains  of  chanting  which 
reached  our  ears  alternately  from  the  various 
groups  of  friends  scattered  throughout  the  gar- 
den, made  an  impression  which  will  long  remain 
with  me. 

Here  among  the  Moslem  Bahais  we  heard  the 
same  story  of  how  they  believed  because  of  their 
own  prophecies  which  foretold  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  in  these  latter  days  and  the  establishment 
of  His  kingdom.  In  many  ways  they  expressed 
their  joy  and  satisfaction  at  having  us  with  them. 
One  remarked  to  me  that  more  of  the  joy  of  the 
kingdom  was  realized  when  those  of  different 
faiths  were  brought  together  in  this  cause,  than 
by  the  uniting  of  those  who  had  previously  held 
the  same  faith.  In  the  East,  where  the  devotees 
of  the  various  religions  hate  one  another  so  cor- 
dially, the  contrast  is  indeed  striking  when  we 
see  them  uniting  in  the  Bahai  cause  and  frater- 
nizing as  members  of  one  family. 


One  of  the  friends  who  entertained  us,  a  Jew- 
ish doctor,  together  with  another  Jewish  physi- 
cian, is  running  a  dispensary  and  hospital  in  Te- 


116  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

heran.  One  morning  we  went  there  for  a  visit. 
A  cheerful  court-yard  with  its  fountain  and  flow- 
ers from  which  opened  the  various  rooms  of  the 
building  with  their  accommodation  for  twenty- 
eight  patients,  formed  the  necessary  elements  of 
a  hospital — an  institution  of  which  Persia  is 
much  in  need.  Comparing  this  hospital  with 
ours  in  the  West,  it  seemed  very  primitive  but, 
considering  the  conditions  of  the  country  it  was 
far,  far  beyond  the  local  standard  of  hygiene  in 
its  appointments.  These  friends  are  laboring 
under  great  difficulties,  as  do  all  those  who  try 
to  lift  the  masses  of  inert  humanity  in  the  East. 
Nevertheless,  their  work  is  gaining  in  proportion 
and  in  momentum.  They,  too,  need  the  helping 
hand  of  the  western  friends.  A  Bahai  woman 
physician  working  with  them  could  accomplish 
much,  both  of  a  spiritual  as  well  as  a  physical 
nature.  She  could  reach  the  women  and  the 
inner  life  of  the  people  by  ways  not  open  in  the 
East  to  men  of  the  profession,  and  through  ser- 
vice and  example  her  influence  as  an  educator 
would  be  far-reaching. 

After  the  work  of  ministering  to  the  health 
of  the  people  in  Persia,  the  most  important  thing 
to  be  undertaken  is  the  teaching  of  industries. 


HADJEE     AMEEN     AND     HADJEE     AKHOUNT 
TWO     BAHAIS    IMPRISONED    FOR    THEIR    FAITH- 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  117 

There  is  a  great  field  for  industrial  work  in  all 
parts  of  that  country.  Persia  is  rich  in  mineral 
deposits  and  in  other  natural  resources.  These 
must  be  developed,  and  for  the  best  good  of  all 
must  be  developed  by  the  people  themselves. 
That  they  might  do  so  they  must  first  be  taught. 
Now  the  sons  of  the  wealthy  go  from  Persia  to 
the  various  capitals  of  Europe  for  educational 
purposes,  but  that  is  not  practical  nor  sufficient. 
It  is  necessary  that  special  and  advanced  educa- 
tion be  placed  within  the  reach  of  the  mass  of 
the  people.  To  the  young  brought  up  in  the 
simplicity  of  Oriental  surroundings  life  in  a 
European  metropolis  is  filled  with  temptations 
which  he  is  not  prepared  to  withstand.  Thus 
many,  after  years  of  schooling  abroad,  lose  their 
natural  charm  and  simplicity,  without  having  ac- 
quired the  real  virtues  of  the  West.  They  fall 
away  from  their  own  country  and  people  and  at 
the  same  time  are  not  fitted  for  life  in  western 
countries. 

The  salvation  of  Persia  must — like  that  of  all 
peoples — he  worked  out  from  within.  She  has 
great  possibilities,  and  through  the  practical  edu- 
cation of  her  sons  and  daughters  she  will  lift 
herself    to    her    ancient   prosperity    and    place 


118  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

among  the  great  nations  of  the  world.  Now  her 
vital  moral  forces  are  spent,  corruption,  oppres- 
sion and  laxity  of  morals  hold  despotic  sway 
over  her  people,  keeping  them  down  to  the  earth. 
Her  predominating  religion,  that  of  Islam,  once 
so  powerful  a  factor  for  the  betterment  of  the 
Orient,  has  lost  its  power  as  a  religion  and  noth- 
ing of  it  remains  save  creed,  dogma  and  fanati- 
cism. The  only  thing  which  can  rejuvenate  Per- 
sia and  save  her  is  a  spiritual  uplift  that  shall 
quicken  the  soul  of  her  people  and  infuse  into 
them  that  force  needed  to  redeem  it. 

In  Persia  the  Bahais  are  laying  the  foundation 
of  this  great  national  uplift,  but  they  are  now 
at  a  point  where  they  need  the  co-operation  of 
the  Bahais  of  the  West.  The  more  we  in  the 
West  correspond  with  our  brothers  in  the 
Orient,  the  more  we  go  there  to  travel  and  to 
live  and  work  among  them,  the  more  we  will  be 
helping  them  in  their  great  task  of  bettering  hu- 
manity. 


At  last  the  day  appointed  for  me  to  take  leave 
of  my  American  brother  and  the  other  friends 
arrived.  I  was  loath  to  turn  westward,  but  my 
vacation    was  limited    and,  as    Abdul-Baha,  in 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLEE  119 

Akka  had  asked  me  to  return  to  see  him  on  my 
way  home  I  felt  I  must  be  off.  At  an  early  hour 
I  was  taken  with  my  luggage  to  the  garden  with- 
out the  city,  where  we  had  been  entertained  on 
the  day  of  our  arrival.  Here  the  day  was  spent 
in  one  continuous  reception,  for  almost  every 
one  of  the  hundreds  we  had  met  in  Teheran 
joined  the  gathering  at  some  time  during  the 
protracted  festivities.  At  noon  we  all  walked 
to  one  end  of  the  garden,  where  the  ground  was 
covered  with  mats  and  rugs  upon  which  were 
spread  in  Persian  fashion  cloths  laden  with  food 
and  flowers.  Sitting  about  on  the  ground  we 
lunched,  after  which  we  had  a  nap  under  the 
shelter  of  a  summer  house,  followed  by  tea  and 
more  feasting.  Shortly  before  dusk  we  parted 
with  all  save  about  twenty  of  our  friends,  who 
accompanied  us  into  the  city  to  the  near-by 
house  of  a  Bahai,  where  we  spent  the  evening  in 
conversation,  dining  at  the  usual  hour  of  eleven 
o'clock. 

Mirza  Taghi  Khan,  our  constant  companion 
since  the  Krasnovodsk  affair,  was  now  returning 
to  Eshkhabad,  which  was  fortunate  for  me,  for 
our  ways  lay  together  again  from  Teheran  to 
Baku.    A  little  after  midnight  our  carriage  was 


120  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

announced  and,  with  the  assistance  of  many 
hands,  we  were  soon  settled  therein  with  our  ar- 
ticles of  luggage  about  us,  and  after  many 
adieus  we  left  this  little  group  of  friends  stand- 
ing in  the  flickering  torchlight  looking  after  us 
as  the  carriage  rolled  away. 

A  few  minutes  brought  us  to  the  Khazvin 
gate,  where  with  some  difficulty  our  coachman 
aroused  the  sleepy  turnkey,  who,  staggering  to 
his  feet,  unlocked  and  opened  the  ponderous  city 
gates,  which,  with  a  rattling  of  chains  and  a 
clanking  of  bars,  closed  on  us  as  we  drove  forth 
into  the  night.  Another  starry  night  it  was,  too. 
Far  off  in  the  west  hung  low  upon  the  horizon  a 
brilliant  planet  which  seemed  as  a  guiding  star, 
indicating,  as  of  old,  the  direction  of  the  Holy 
Land. 


The  down  journey  from  Teheran  to  Resht 
was  quite  the  same  in  character  as  had  been  the 
up  journey;  we  were  greeted  by  the  same  friends 
and  in  the  same  hospitable  way.  The  drive  was 
broken  only  at  Khazvin,  where  we  spent  two 
days  and  a  night  with  our  friend,  the  doctor. 
Hearing  of  our  coming,  he  met  us  on  the  road  as 
before  and  escorted  us  into  the  city.    This  time 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  121 

we  were  in  open  carriages  and  it  not  being  wise 
for  us  to  be  seen  together,  we  parted  just  with- 
out the  city  walls,  his  carriage  entering  by  one 
gate,  ours  by  another.  This  time  while  in  Khaz- 
vin,  I  had  the  opportunity  of  visiting  the  Bahai 
school,  in  which  about  fifty  young  boys  were 
studying  under  the  supervision  of  instructors. 
One  of  these  teachers  spoke  French  fluently  and 
he  acted  as  interpreter  for  me  during  the  visit. 

An  unbroken  ride  of  thirty-six  hours  brought 
us  from  Khazvin  to  Resht,  where  we  arrived  the 
middle  of  the  morning.  The  steamer  by  which 
we  expected  to  sail  was  booked  to  leave  Enzalee 
at  ten  thirty  that  night.  After  discussing  the 
situation  with  the  friends  we  decided  to  drive 
the  twenty-two  miles  from  Resht  to  Enzalee 
over  a  turnpike  which  traverses  the  marshes  and 
lowlands  separating  Resht  from  the  port.  The 
Believers  could  not  comprehend  why  we  should 
arrive  and  leave  both  in  the  same  day  and  it  was 
with  some  difficulty  that  we  begged  off  from  re- 
maining three  days  until  the  sailing  of  the  next 
steamer. 

Accordingly,  after  an  unavoidable  delay,  we 
set  out.  The  further  we  drove  the  worse  became 
the  road,  until,  finally,  the  horses  could  hardly 


122  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

draw  the  carriage,  the  wheels  of  which  were  half 
way  up  to  their  hubs  in  sand  and  loose  earth. 
Thus  so  much  time  was  lost  that  we  did  not 
reach  Enzalee  until  the  steamer  had  sailed.  The 
only  thing  to  do  was  to  return  to  Resht.  Leav- 
ing at  midnight  we  drove  all  night,  arriving  at 
Resht  at  daybreak.  It  was  our  third  night  in  a 
carriage,  and  between  the  mosquitoes  and  in- 
sects, a  drenching  fog  and  mist  which  rolled  in 
from  the  sea,  and  the  dismal  cries  of  jackals  with 
which  the  forests  abounded,  we  had  a  bad  night 
of  it.  In  Resht,  instead  of  being  dismayed  at 
our  plight,  our  friends  rejoiced  at  the  prospect 
of  a  continued  visit,  and  in  the  end  I  was  not  at 
all  sorry  for  the  experience,  for  we  had  three 
more  pleasant  days  in  Persia.  On  the  third  day, 
in  good  season,  three  of  our  friends  escorted  us 
to  Enzalee  and  saw  us  safely  on  board  the  steam- 
er for  Baku. 

On  the  quay  in  Baku,  we  were  met  by  several 
friends,  who  had  been  notified  of  our  coming. 
Remaining  here  but  a  few  hours,  I  parted  with 
my  faithful  friend  and  traveling  companion,  Mir- 
za  Taghi  Khan,  and  bidding  good-bye  to  the 
other  friends,  traveled  westward  by  rail  through 
Caucasia  to  Tiflis  and  to  Batum  on  the  Black 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  123 

Sea.  In  Batum  I  spent  three  very  pleasant  days 
with  Believers.  Here  I  was  joined  by  a  young 
man  from  Teheran,  whom  I  had  met  during  my 
first  visit  to  Khazvin,  at  which  time  he  was  on 
his  way  to  Resht  and  Baku.  We  had  hoped  to 
meet  at  some  point  along  the  line  of  travel  be- 
tween Persia  and  Akka,  since  we  were  both 
bound  for  the  Holy  Land.  Boarding  a  steamer 
we  touched  along  the  ports  of  Armenia,  arriving 
at  Constantinople  at  the  end  of  four  days. 

While  I  was  in  Persia,  the  news  reached  us 
that  a  constitutional  form  of  government  had 
been  declared  in  Turkey.  Everywhere  the  Ba- 
hais  were  enthusiastic  over  this  change,  for  they 
knew  that  with  the  passing  of  the  old  regime  of 
despotism,  the  troubles  which  had  for  so  many 
years  harassed  our  leader,  Abdul-Baha,  would 
be  at  an  end.  On  arriving  in  Constantinople  I 
found  great  changes  taking  place.  My  former 
visits  there  had  given  me  a  decided  dislike  for 
the  place.  The  corruptness  of  all  branches  of 
the  government  made  it  impossible  to  transact 
any  business  without  bribery.  The  general  cor- 
ruption of  the  country  was  apparent  at  every 
turn.  This  was  particularly  noticeable  in  the 
attitude  and  bearing  of  the  people.     Spied  upon, 


124  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

maltreated,  and  oppressed,  they  were  con- 
strained, fearful,  and  suspicious.  Now,  how- 
ever, all  seemed  quite  different.  The  people 
were  light-hearted  and  free,  singing  songs  of 
liberty  and  praising  the  constitution.  Newspa- 
pers and  printed  matter,  hitherto  subject  to  con- 
fiscation, were  free  to  all.  There  seemed  to  be 
an  entire  change  in  the  very  character  and  soul 
of  the  people.  During  our  stay  of  two  days  in 
Constantinople,  we  met  freely  with  the  Oriental 
Bahais  there,  they  no  longer  fearing  trouble, 
since  the  constitution  gave  the  people  religious 
freedom. 

From  Constantinople,  my  Persian  friend  and  I 
took  ship  for  Smyrna,  where  we  made  a  brief 
stay,  again  sailing  by  a  vessel  v/hich  landed  us 
in  Beirut.  The  nearer  we  approached  Akka  the 
more  elated  we  found  our  friends.  In  Syria  the 
changes  brought  about  by  the  constitution 
seemed  greater  than  those  in  Turkey,  but  prob- 
ably this  was  only  apparent  to  us  because  here 
we  had  more  vital  interests  than  at  the  capital. 
The  officials,  who  had  oppressed  Abdul-Baha 
and  his  people,  were  no  longer  in  power.  Some 
had  fled,  barely  escaping  with  their  lives;  others 
disappeared,  while  yet  others    were  in    prison. 


<: 

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w 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  125 

The  oppressors  had  been  dealt  with  as  they  had 
dealt  with  others. 

The  joy  of  the  Bahais  was  a  pleasure  to  see — 
especially  that  of  the  older  men,  who  had  sur- 
vived years  of  hardship  and  oppression  in  the 
cause.  It  was  here  in  Beirut  that  we  first  learned 
of  Abdul-Baha's  freedom,  for,  with  the  going 
into  force  of  the  constitution,  all  of  the  political 
prisoners  throughout  the  realm  were  liberated, 
and  just  before  our  arrival  in  the  country  he  had 
been  officially  notified  of  his  freedom. 

After  a  visit  of  four  days  with  the  friends  in 
Beirut,   we   embarked   for   Haifa.     On   arrival 
there,  instead  of  having  to  await   for  favorable 
conditions  under  which  to  enter  Akka,  as  had 
always  been    necessary  in  the  past,  we    drove 
from  the  quay  directly  to  the  house  of  Abdul- 
Baha,  where  we  were  most  graciously  received. 
Although  this  was  not  my  first  visit  to  Akka,  it 
was  the    first  time  that  I    had    seen    anything 
worthy  of  mention  of  the  city.    I  went  about  as 
a  sight-seer.    Wearing  a  tarboosh  (fez)  and  an 
aba  (cloak)  with  several  Oriental  friends,  I  even 
penetrated  into  the  precincts  of  the  mosque.    On 
another  occasion  a  number  of  us  took  a  stroll 
over  the  plain  of  Akka,  visiting  the  cemeteries 


126  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

near  the  city,  where  are  the  tombs  of  Abdul- 
Eaha's  mother,  brother,  and  many  of  the  original 
exiles  who  came  to  that  country  in  captivity  with 
Baha'o'llah. 

One  night  I  went  to  the  pilgrims'    house  in 
Akka,  where  the  Oriental  friends  are  usually  en- 
tertained.    A  long  walk  through    dark    streets 
flanked  with  high  buildings,  and  so  narrow  they 
seemed  like  crevices  in  the  crust  of  the  earth, 
brought  us  to  an  old  caravanserai  on  the  side  of 
the   city   opposite   to   that   where   Abdul-Baha 
lived.     In  the  upper  part  of  this  building,  with 
windows  and  balconies  overlooking  the  sea  and 
Mount  Carmel  in  the  distance,  are  the    rooms 
where  the  pilgrims  are  lodged  and  where  several 
of  the  Bahai  men  live.     Here  we  met  Hadji  Mir- 
za  Heyder  AH,  a  well  known  Bahai  teacher,  who 
spent  twelve  years  in  exile  for  his  faith  in  Khar- 
toum, until  freed  when  the  English,  under  Gor- 
don, entered  the  city.    He  is  now  well  along  in 
years  and,  though  feeble  in  body,  is  spiritually 
young  and  active.     When  asked  about  his  suf- 
ferings in  the  cause,  he  was  at  first    not    very 
communicative,  but  later  on  he  told  me  some  of 
his  experiences. 

Abdul-Baha  was,  as  might  have  been  expected, 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  127 

happy  because  of  the  freedom  and  liberty  of  the 
people.  As  for  himself,  personally,  one  did  not 
feel  that  the  change  made  very  much  difference 
one  wa);'  or  another.  He  seemed  removed  from 
the  possibility  of  being  hampered  by  calamity  or 
uplifted  by  fortune. 

Many  people  have  asked  me  how  Abdul-Baha 
impressed  me.  I  should  hardly  use  the  word 
"impress"  in  connection  with  him.  An  impres- 
sion is  something  which  is  imprinted  upon  one 
from  without.  His  influence  is  not  that  of  one 
personality  upon  another.  Through  contact 
with  him  the  soul  responds,  is  quickened  and  re- 
freshed by  his  spirit  of  love,  humility,  service  to 
humanity,  and  all  other  kindred  virtues.  This 
soul-quickening  then  produces  its  regenerating 
effect  upon  the  character  and  soul  of  the  individ- 
ual, working  from  within  outward. 

Each  time  I  have  gone  to  Akka  I  have  nat- 
urally carried  with  me  a  conception  or  a  mental 
picture  of  Abdul-Baha,  and  each  time  I  have 
been  obliged  to  lay  this  aside  in  order  to  find  a 
larger  and  higher  one.  He  has  remained  un- 
changed, while  my  vision  has  been  a  changing 
and  growing  one.  Surely,  if  one  were  to  go  to 
him  twenty  times,  each  successive  time  he  would 


128  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

appear  different.  It  is,  therefore,  better  not  to 
cling  to  preconceived  ideas,  for  unless  these  all 
be  laid  aside  the  spirit  of  Baha'o'llah  which  ema- 
nates from  him,  cannot  enter  and  evolve  within 
us  and  shape  us  anew. 

Abdul-Baha  is  a  physician,  who  is  healing  the 
spiritual  diseases  of  man.  He  sees  and  under- 
stands all  conditions  of  the  soul  and  gives  to 
each  just  what  that  soul  needs.  His  teaching  is 
simplicity  itself.  The  gospel  of  love  he  makes 
very  real  through  living  the  life  of  God's  servant 
among  men.  His  words  and  explanations  are  so 
simple  that  oftentimes  people  may  at  first  feel  a 
pang  of  disappointment,  expecting  abtruse  theo- 
ries and  explanations,  but,  when  they  begin  to 
realize  the  force  of  the  spirit  which  characterizes 
Abdul-Baha's  life,  then  they  see  the  real  power 
of  his  teaching,  realizing  how  much  greater  is 
this  than  philosophizing. 

Abdul-Baha  teaches  that  it  is  through  mani- 
festing the  joy  and  giving  forth  the  love  of  the 
kingdom  that  the  Bahais  will  attract  hungry 
souls  and  be  able  to  lead  them  to  the  kingdom. 
We  should  be  fearless  and  enthusiastic  as  he  is. 
We  must  not  think  of  ourselves  nor  consider  our 
feelings  nor  our  welfare  before  that  of  serving 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  129 

the  Lord.  We  should  not  be  constrained,  but 
should,  manifest  to  all,  frankly  and  freely,  the 
love  of  God  which  we  have  in  our  hearts.  The 
more  of  this  love  we  give  forth,  the  more  of  it 
will  be  ours  to  give.  There  should  be  no  hold- 
ing back;  we  must  actively  serve  the  Lord  in 
every  phase  of  life,  since  service  is  the  necessary 
adjunct  of  belief  and  faith,  and  without  works 
these  latter  are  as  naught. 

Abdul-Baha's  life  is  essentially  one  of  service. 
His  mission  here  is  to  teach  us  this.  Only  iri, 
following  in  his  path  of  daily  loving  service  to 
those  about  us  will  we  become  strong  in  spirit 
and  fitted  to  act  as  stewards  of  the  Lord.  We 
must  at  all  times  increase  actions,  for  our  words 
when  backed  by  spiritual  actions  will  not  lack 
force  but  will  produce  spiritual  results  in  the 
souls  of  those  who  hear  them. 

Abdul-Baha  sends  his  greeting  and  love  to 
the  Bahais  in  the  West.  In  reply  to  a  question 
regarding  the  House  of  Justice,*  he  said  that  the 
House  of  Justice  was  not  yet  established;  that 
for  the  present  there  were  only  local  Bahai  gov- 
erning bodies,  but  that  in  time  we  would  have  a 


*The  teachings  of  Baha'o'llah  provide  for  the  central  spiritual  body— • 
the  House  of  Justice.  Its  members  will  be  chosen  from  the  people  by 
the  people. 


130  OBSEEVATIONS  OF 

great  central  convocation  composed  of  members 
from  all  parts  of  the  world.  This,  the  House  of 
Justice,  will  convene  at  stated  times.  Its  func- 
tion is  administrative;  it  will,  in  the  spirit  of 
oneness  and  unity,  pass  and  decide  upon  matters 
of  moment  in  the  cause,  its  united  action  being 
acceptable  before  God.  Abdul-Baha  said  that 
he  himself  was  not  under  the  House  of  Justice, 
yet  he  furthermore  said  that  whatever  the  Be- 
lievers agreed  upon  unanimously  he  would  sub- 
scribe to,  but  this  was  because  of  his  desire  to 
promote  harmony,  not  that  he  is  subject  to  the 
followers. 


The  day  that  I  left  Akka  for  the  "West  the 
friends  had  planned  an  out-of-door  feast  in  the 
garden  of  El-Rizwan,  which  is  not  far  without 
the  city.  After  parting  with  Abdul-Baha  and  re- 
ceiving his  blessing,  in  company  with  an  Oriental 
friend  I  drove  to  the  tomb  of  Baha'o'llah,  so  sa- 
cred to  His  followers,  which  is  at  Behji,  near 
Akka.  Entering  the  court  of  the  tomb,  we  re- 
mained for  some  moments  while  a  tablet  was 
chanted;  then,  entering  the  tomb  chamber  we 
knelt  in  silent  prayer. 


A  BAHAI  TRAVELLER  131 

From  Behji  we  drove  to  the  garden  of  El- 
Rizwan,  where  a  large  number  of  the  Bahais  of 
the  vicinity  were  assembled.  After  taking  tea 
and  other  light  refreshments  with  these  friends, 
seated  under  the  mulberry  trees  on  the  terrace 
beside  the  river,  where  Baha'o'Uah  spent  so  much 
time,  we  had  a  parting  word,  a  prayer  chanted, 
and  many  good-byes.  Here  I  left  the  young 
man  from  Teheran  who  had  been  my  traveling 
companion  for  the  three  weeks  past.  He  had 
indeed  been  a  friend  and  typified  devotion  itself ; 
from  him  I  learned  another  lesson  not  taught 
by  word  but  through  example. 

Laden  with  messages  of  love  and  greeting  to 
the  friends  in  the    West,  I  started   for    Haifa, 
where  I  arrived  just  in  time  to  catch  an  evening 
steamer  for  Port  Said.     From  Port  Said  I  went 
on  to  Paris,  via  Messina  and  Marseilles,  where 
I  spent  five  days  with  the  Believers.    Here  I  met 
with  our  well-known  friend,  M.  Ahmed  Yazdi, 
of  Port  Said,  with  whom  I  went  to  London,  in 
which  city  we  spent  five  days  with  the  friends 
before  going  to  Oxford,  where    Mrs.    Stannard 
and    Miss   Rosenberg,  both  of  the  London   as- 
sembly, were  attending  a  congress  for  the  com- 
parative study  of  religion.    Miss  Rosenberg  rep- 


132  OBSERVATIONS  OF 

resented  the  Bahai  Movement  at  this  convoca- 
tion and  read  a  paper  which  was  well  received. 

Parting  with  M.  Yazdi,  and  sailing  from  Liv- 
erpool, I  landed  in  Quebec,  and  after  brief  visits 
with  the  Bahais  in  Montreal  and  New  York 
found  myself  back  again  in  Washington  after  an 
absence  of  almost  six  months. 


The  Persian  Bahais  have  those  very"  elements 
of  spiritual  virtue  which  we  in  this  country- 
need.  There  is  a  devotion  and  a  fraternity 
amongst  them  which  is  most  beautiful.  This  is 
needed  in  the  West.  During  my  trip  through 
the  East,  I  had  such  a  wealth  of  devotion  and 
brotherly  affection  poured  out  upon  me  that  I 
could  actually  see  and  feel  its  effect.  It  had  re- 
freshed my  very  soul  and  quite  changed  my  at- 
titude toward  people  in  general. 

This  spirit  of  Bahai  love,  so  intense  in  Persia, 
softens  and  strengthens  one's  nature.  It  makes 
the  strong  stronger,  the  weak  more  firm  and 
steadfast,  and  it  refines  man  making  him  more 
susceptible,  and  impenetrable  to  evil.  It  gives 
the  believer  the  power  to  enter  into  the  lives  of 


A  BAHAI  TEAVELLER  133 

others  and  to  impart  to  them  the  desire  to  know 
the  truth  and  the  power  to  arise  in  service.  This 
is  what  we  all  need  in  greater  abundance,  is 
that  which  Abdul-Baha  is  giving  to  us,  and  it  is 
that  which  we  must  attain  through  following  in 
his  path  o£  service  to  God  and  mankind. 


Finis. 


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